When Evil Falls Down
by Annie Lynn Bulthuis
Summary: In the book "Mocking Jay" It is mentioned that they are to have one last hunger games, the 76th. It was to be done with the children of the capitol. So what happened in that arena? How do the capitol children handle what the other districts once did?
1. Chapter 1 Dulce Et Decorum Est

Chapter 1

Dulce Et Decorum Est

Everything that evil holds dear will always crash down around them in the end, for evil has never, and will never win. Even when the good hearts stop beating and the sky goes grey, light and life will eventually return. This event holds the evidence of just that, only what is considered evil doesn't seem right. Why am I to fall when all I did was watch?

Seventy six would be a number remembered forever in history. The final hunger games. The last of the barbarianism that has annually brought grief and entertainment to those of Panem. It's always been entertainment for me as I have been safe living in the capitol. Due to a series of current events involving my favorite tribute now known as the Mocking Jay, my people will not be safe. We are now to be thrown into the fire for symbolic closure and ultimately revenge.

We are the evil that took their children for seventy five years and now what we hold dear will be taken. We are the evil. We are the evil. Twenty four of us will be chosen today. Thousands will be pardoned, but twenty four will stand in front of the cameras only to fall in front of them and never get up again.

My mother had studied history at the academy. She knew a great deal of the times before the games first began. She knew of many times when things were better, and knew of many times when things were worse. She told my brother and I many stories of things we will never learn in school. My father knew a great deal about literature, he read us stories that many had not heard in hundreds of years. Stories of great adventure and great tragedy. I tried to remember these things as I stood. Tried to think of good things that once existed, and things much worse than this. I looked at my brother as he stood with the other seventeen year old boys. I wondered what he was thinking about.

Cedric was my twin brother. He too knew a great many things, and it was the hunger games that he had become an expert on. We owned all seventy five games and he watched them religiously. We had gone on vacation to some of the old arenas and he sometimes knew more than the tour guides. He could tell you how everyone died, the strategies people had used, if he was chosen he would know every trick. I on the other hand hated to watch them. I found them entertaining indeed, but the gore was too much for me to handle. If I was to be chosen I would be the first to die, but not before I'd puke at the sight of my own blood.

Effie Trinket, the woman who had been the escort for district twelve, had been chosen to be ours. She stood on that stage, ready to draw the names of twelve unlucky girls and twelve unlucky boys. I wondered how she felt, was it an honor or not? She as sending her own into the arena, was that painful for her? Maybe she just felt proud to be the one chosen for the last hunger games. In the end I didn't care because I had already developed an opinion on her. I didn't like her. She stood up there with her stupid smile that, genuine or not, made me sick.

It was usually her job to open up the reaping ceremony with the history of the games, explaining why they were done and how it was to ensure that there would never be another rebellion against the capitol. No such things was told. It was almost as if tabooed now. Effie was brief with her opening, we all knew why we were here.

"Well," she finally said, "Ladies first!" She had said this same thing every year.

No one was breathing as she went to draw the first tributes name, I was sure of that.

"Dradle Cheivner!"

I didn't know her. She was a pleasantly plump girl with long blue hair. Not a terribly good looking girl, the makeover was going to be good for her. She probably wasn't going to make it very long in the games. She was shaking as she stood on stage all alone, she looked around with a red face, clearly terrified and embarrassed. I might have felt bad for her if I wasn't standing with a few thousand other girls each dreading the sound of their name.

"And now for our first boy!"

Breaths were once again held, what unfortunate soul would be called?

"Phoenix Lahter!"

This boy I did know. Slightly. He was a grade younger than me. He was good looking enough, but had scrawny arms and legs. He'd make it a few days at least. He stood tall next to Dradle, but sweat glistened on his brow.

More names were called. Each kid showing terror in their own way. None really seemed to have a chance at winning. I looked at my brother again, he looked bored. I wished I could be that calm. My brother had always been laid back though. He was my best friend and knew me best.

"Boy number five!" Effie Trinket announced. I tried to be bored too. Why pay attention? There were thousands of names and I was just one of them. Five girls had been called, only seven more would be chosen. Each time I wasn't called made it more likely that I wouldn't. I looked down at my nails. I had gotten them done only a few days ago with my mother. They had intricate designs on them and shined nicely.

"Cedric Bellflower!"

I froze. My nails were no longer of interest. I had been so worried about my own name that his being called hadn't even really been considered. Nothing bad ever happened to him, he was graced with good luck since the day he was born! My eyes grew wide with shock and fear. I looked at my brother and met his eyes. He nodded at me assuring me it was going to be ok.

He walked up onto the stage casually, as if nothing wrong had happened. He looked good though. Strong and handsome, he even smiled when he saw he was on the big screen. I had some comfort in the fact that he knew the hunger games better than anyone, but could he really win? He was physically fit and clever, but sometimes the weakest tributes were the ones that won. I met his eyes again and nodded at him, swallowing my tears. If he was going to be brave so was I.

"Almost half way!" Effie said cheerfully. I wanted someone to shoot her, "Girl number six is Topaz Krones!"

I knew her too. She was very pretty and I always envied her curly hair that bounced when she walked. The bounce seemed less perky though when she walked up onto the stage. Tears were streaming down her face, she was the first to cry. She stood next to my brother and he took her hand. He squeezed it with reassurance.

"Boy number six is Tobias Marshel!"

He lived down the street from me. He was a quiet boy, kept to himself mostly. He was a good kid though, very polite when he did talk. I couldn't imagine anyone killing him. I hoped he died from falling rocks or a fatal bug bite. I heard a small cry from the crowed of adults. It was probably his poor mother. I wondered how our parents were doing.

My mother was the type to have a strong opinion on everything. My father on the other hand never had an opinion. They were such opposites. I wish I knew where they were so I could see their faces. I could imagine what they looked like though. Mother's would be rather put out, she would be ready to debate my brother out of the games. My father would be somber, probably looking down with his hands folded behind his back, he would have nothing to say at all.

I looked at my brother for about the millionth time. He was still looking confident and chilled out. The now weeping Topaz still held his hand. I wondered what was going through his mind. Probably deciding how he would take out each of them depending on what the atmosphere would be in the arena.

More names were called, more souls lost. More cries from the crowed, "Girl number ten!" Effie said putting her hand back in the pile of female names. Why was this process taking ages? How long could it take to read twenty four names? Why was my brother up there doing nothing?

"Bristol Bellflower!"

What? No. There were thousands of names in there. No she read the wrong name. There must be a different girl with that name. It was possible right? My eyes pleaded with Effie, did she see me? Couldn't she redraw? Didn't she know that my parents now were about to lose either one or both of their children? Didn't she know this was a mistake? It wasn't my name she called, it wasn't, it wasn't!

I looked at my brother. His face was no longer calm. With such a change in expression I knew my ears were not mistaken. Cedric stop looking at me, the longer you look the more the realization of me being chosen sinks in. I look at the big screen and it shows me standing in the crowed of girls. How did they know I was me?

"Bristol Bellflower?" Effie called again. I must have been standing there like a statue for a little too long. Two men grabbed my arms and helped me to the stage. I was embarrassed, or was I? I'm not sure how I felt, just faint, weak kneed, helpless. My brother was now being shown on the screen. I imagined that an announcer was telling the viewers at home that we were siblings and how interesting it would be to watch, and how heart breaking it would be that we would be trying to kill each other. Trying to kill each other. I would be trying to kill Cedric and he me.

The rest of the names seemed to be read quickly, I'm not even sure if I heard them or not, "There you have it! Your twenty four tributes!" Effie announced. The audience cheered. Why were they cheering? Did they still just think of this as another game they found so entertaining like all those other years? Did they not realize that it was now their own children going into the arena?

Maybe we were the evil after all, no, just them. We twenty four were not.

Soon enough my brother was by my side, his arm around me, "Dulce et Decorum est  
Pro patria mori," he said to me. A phrase from a poem our father had taught us. It was Latin.

I smiled at him weakly, "it is sweet and right to die for your country."


	2. Chapter 2 The Begining of the End

Chapter 2

The Beginning of the End

Our final goodbyes were painful, more than I had anticipated. I knew I was going to die, and my parents probably knew it too. It's funny how you take so much for granted. For if it was never there I never would have lost it to begin with, but it was there, and now I have lost it. I wish I had appreciated it before I had lost it, but I missed out.

the twenty four of us were put on a large bus, it would be a ten minute ride to our destination but I knew it would feel like an eternity. There were many red puffy eyes from the farewells, I had a pair to match. I sat next to Cedric and rested my head on his shoulder. Thousands of thoughts danced and raced and swirled through my head.

"I was a terrible daughter," I muttered.

"Why do you say that?" Cedric asked putting his arm around me.

"I can't remember the last time I thanked either of them."

"That doesn't make you a terrible daughter, just your average teenager."

"You thanked them daily. You were always grateful to them." We were quiet for a bit, "If I could do it over again I would."

"All seventeen years?"

"Every last one of them," I looked down at my feet, too ashamed of who I was to look at anyone, "if you could go back what would you do differently?"

"I'd be a horrible child so mom and dad would be happy to watch me die," Cedric joked.

"That's really not funny," I said.

"You're right, I'm sorry."

"That too! When was the last time I apologized to them?" I now felt even worse.

"Bristol, you were not a horrible daughter. They love you and know you love them! Don't you dare feel bad, they would never trade you for anything in this whole wide world and you know it!"

"Do I?" I looked up at Cedric, he was calm. I wondered if his mind was in game mode. Did he really want to talk about home like I did? Probably not. I changed the subject reluctantly.

"What do you hope the arena is like?"

"Lava would be nice."

"Lava?" That didn't sound so nice to me.

"I'd never be cold!" He smiled at me. What a great smile. We were twins but he certainly got the better end when it came to looks. I was going to miss his warm smile, then again I'd be dead so I wouldn't miss his smile after all. How convenient.

"You're not worried at all are you?" I said studying his face.

"I worry," he said after a pause. He turned to look out the window, watching his familiar city pass by, "I worry a lot."

"About what?"

"About you," he replied in a voice more vulnerable and quiet than I had ever heard it before.

"I'll be alright," I said, not sure if it was to comfort me more or him.

"You might not believe that you are a good daughter, but you better believe that you are the best sister and friend in the world."

I bit my lip, I wasn't going to cry again, "You're the greatest brother and friend in the world too."

We shared silence. How much longer would we have each other? In only a few days we would go from comrades to foes, it was the worst part about the whole thing.

I looked around at the other tributes, I had almost forgotten they were there. The bus had been so silent, only a few talking. they were all so alive, each with a family and a life like me. They were all going to die though. There will be twenty three empty bed rooms, empty school desks, and empty space in twenty three pairs of parents in just a short amount of time.

Me and my brother made no sound until we arrived, "remember Katniss and Peeta's first opening ceremony? How they held hands?" Cedric murmured to me.

"Not that I can recall, your point?"

"It made them a team, memorable, a genius strategy. We need to stick together and be the Bellflower twins that steal the audiences heart, understand?"

"I wasn't planning on leaving your side in the first place," I said.

"Perfect, then follow my lead, it's show time!"

We exited the bus with Cedric's arm around me and we greeted our welcome wagon of cameras. Cedric smiled and waved with his free hand, I followed suit giving the camera's the most genuine smile I could come up with.

Things were different this year as far as tributes being in pairs. We were all from the capitol. I figured I would be paired with my brother but rules had been changed, we were now in groups of fours. Two girls and two boys. It was apparently hard to get twelve past victors to mentor so fours were required. Cedric was with me, which was expected since the game makers knew it would make for better television.

We were joined by a fifteen year old girl with bright neon green hair named Lois. She was very tall and thin. She looked at me distastefully, I could tell she had joined my brother in game mode, only was taking a much different approach. The boy that joined us was also seventeen and very good looking. He was well built and a possible competition for my brother. He had metallic gold hair and his skin had a silver shimmer when the light hit him correctly. His name was D'Artagnan and he smiled at me sweetly. I am almost certain I blushed.

We were not to meet our mentor until the next day which drove Cedric crazy, all the victors were his idols and not knowing who ours would be was painful for him. He didn't get much sleep that night because of it, I didn't get much sleep that night because tomorrow was the opening ceremonies and the beginning of the end.

The next morning the four of us met in a room where we met our mentor. I felt my brother go stiff beside me. Johanna Mason. She walked in with a stub of a pony tail high on her head and a revealing green dress. My brother only had the biggest crush on her ever. She looked at us as if we were filth and I'm certain it gave my dear brother an erection.

"So I made a bet with Haymitch that one of you four would win, so let's try hard to survive out there so I don't have to waste money on that dick of an alcoholic." This was going to be much worse than I thought.

My brother walked over to her and shook her hand, "Miss Mason, I just want to say that you're great, I've watched your win so many times, I'm your biggest fan!" I glared at Cedric. Way to make a fool of yourself and indirectly a fool of me.

"Think you can win?" Johanna asked him with a flirtatious smirk.

"Uh-huh," Cedric was getting more loopy by the minute.

"If you do, then I'll be your biggest fan," Johanna replied. Cedric by now was probably rather horny and Johanna probably thought him the biggest tool ever.

"Alright so here's the deal, we're limited on stylists so Bristol and Lois will be sharing and Cedric and D'Artagnan will be sharing. Don't complain just suck it up."

"She's so bad ass isn't she!" Cedric whispered to me in a giddy way.

"Yeah, she's a real charmer."

I must say that being naked with Lois would certainly go down as one of my top five most awkward moments. She had amazing curves for a fifteen year old and mine truly could not compare. It didn't help that I was short and she was a good five inches taller. She kept looking me up and down from the corner of her eye and smirking, as if I didn't already feel bad enough. I didn't even care that we had a prep team staring at us, it was all Lois.

Phineas, our stylist, appeared after we had been sponge bathed and given massive blue eye makeup and blue lips, "Hello ladies," he said smiling, "Since we are all from the capitol this year we do not have a theme of resources for each of you. Instead we are going with color. If you haven't figured it out from your make up, we're going with blue!" Phineas looked at each of us, "yes, we'll do Royal Blue for Lois and Cerulean for Bristol, do you not agree?" our prep team smiled and clapped in agreement.

"Wonderful! I'll leave you to it while I do the final touches on your wardrobe!" Phineas left. Lois and I were allowed to put robes on, thank goodness. We sat down and the process of our hair was to begin.

I watched my pink hair go in a bitter fashion. Pink had always been becoming on me, but Cerulean couldn't be that bad. Lois on the other hand was not so gracious, "I just got his done last month! I've done blue and it's not my color I can tell you that right now!" She whined to Dee Dee, the prep team member that began dying her hair.

"Nonsense! Royal Blue will be just lovely on you! That's why Phineas picked it!" Dee Dee said cheerfully.

"Well Phineas must be color blind. I do not wish to be remembered by all of Penam as a blue haired girl. You all saw that fat blue haired girl Dradle, eww!"

"But that is not the same blue you will have!" Poor Dee Dee.

"I don't really give a shit Dee Dee!"

I kept quiet, I had seen hanis looking tributes in the past that turned out quite lovely after their stylists got through with them. They knew what they were doing and we had no right to question them. I did give Lois a dirty look though when she said some exceptionally rude things when it was announced that her hair would be permanently curled.

Phineas came back when we were done with our hair. I think it turned out nicely, but Lois was still scowling. We were put in similar dresses, only mine was long with a slit that showed my leg and had one strap. Lois's dress was very short and a halter. The dress glittered and slowly morphed from shade to shade of blue. We wore large blue flowers in our hair decoratively. The same style flower was temporarily dyed on our arms. I smiled at myself, in the full sized mirror. Lois just gave a dramatic "hmph."

When we met up with the boys they were dressed in matching suites that glittered and changed shades of blue like our dresses did. Their boutonnières matched the flowers in our hair. Cedric's hair was a lighter blue, and D'Artagnan had a sharp dark midnight blue. They both looked very handsome.

"Well don't you look dapper," I said to my brother.

"Why thank you miss, you don't look to bad yourself! Think Johanna will like my new look?"

"Who knows?" I laughed, "she might even become your biggest fan!"

"You Think so?" He asked smiling back at me?

"How could she possibly resist!" I said as I took his arm. I stood up straight and plastered the biggest smile I could onto my face, Cedric did the same. Next stop, the opening ceremony.


	3. Chapter 3 The Opening

Chapter 3

The Opening

From behind the big doors we waited for our turn to get on our chariot and ride through the City. Johanna and our two stylists waited with us. Johanna had changed from her revealing green dress to a revealing blue dress to match our color.

"Just smile, wave, blow a few kisses, wink at the ugly rich people, and keep your head held high," Johanna instructed in a tone that read bored.

"Can we wink at attractive people?" Cedric asked.

"Go crazy," Johanna said, smiling sarcastically.

"Oh I will," Cedric said with a wink. My head fell into my hand with embarrassment. Cedric had seemed like a prime candidate, but if Johanna kept turning him into jello, he was doomed.

"Get a hold of yourself," I whispered to him through clenched teeth, grabbing his arm to stop him from moving onto the chariot, "she's like twenty two and you're not staying focused! You're supposed to win this."

"She turned twenty one only last month, and, unlike you, I have a plan," he whispered back.

"I don't need a plan! I'm not the one trying to survive!"

"Bristol! Cedric! on the chariot!" Johanna said annoyed and impatient.

"You're going to survive though, my plan involves us teaming up dumb-dumb," Cedric said helping me into the chariot.

"And what if we're the two left standing? Then what?"

"We'll see if that even happens first."

Our chariot, covered with blue flowers, set off. The aromas coming from the flowers were strong and made me a little light headed, "Heads up and smile!" Johanna called.

Cedric stood on my left and took my hand, my right somehow found its way into D'Artagnan's hand. I looked at him curiously raising an eyebrow, "don't want you to fall," he said to me smiling.

"Thanks," and there I went blushing again.

We set out into the city and cheers abounded. It was actually almost fun. This was always my favorite part to watch, and now here I was a part of it. Smiling and waving came more naturally, I'd always wanted to be in a parade. I saw us up on the screen and blue looked very nice on us, I hoped Lois was eating her words. I saw my brother's face, he was having the time of his life. This must have been very surreal for him.

I couldn't help thinking, as I looked out at the sea of people, that my parents were out there somewhere. It was a comfort to know they could see us now, and I was glad I didn't know where they were. If I was to see them now I'd completely lose it. I decided to look for ugly rich people to wink at to get my mind in a different place.

We continued to swerve through the city of adoring people. I still hated them. Many of them knew at least one of us but didn't seem to care that we, in just a few weeks, would be strangling and stabbing each other in an arena. That twenty three of us wouldn't be coming home ever again.

When all was said and done my cheeks hurt and I wanted a nap. Cedric was beaming and pumped up with more energy than ever. Our stylists took our wardrobes off and sent us to our rooms to take a shower before dinner. The warm water and scented oils made me want to go to bed more. Then again I had no desire to go to bed, going to bed would bring tomorrow, tomorrow would bring the first day of training, after training would be interviews, and then the arena.

I brushed my blue hair out and admired it. It wasn't pink, but I liked it. Cerulean, what a funny name for a color. When I walked out of the bathroom casual blue clothes were laid out on my bed. I put them on and laid down. I stared at my ceiling for a while. So this was it. My last few days of safety. Joyous day. a knock was at my door, "what?"

"It's Cedric," the voice said from behind my door.

"Oh!" I ran to the door and opened it, he too wore casual blue clothes, "dinner ready?"

"Yup, you hungry?"

"I don't think I'll ever be hungry," on cue my stomach growled.

"Never ever?" he asked mockingly.

"I guess I could go for a bite," I followed Cedric out into the dining room. Lois and D'Artagnan sat at the table already eating. Johanna sat at the end picking her nails. I sat next to D'Artagnan, he smiled. I thought maybe it wasn't such a good idea to continue to be next to him. I didn't know him but I liked him, he seemed like a nice guy. Now was not the time to make friends.

"Hey Bristol," He said casually as I took my seat.

"Hi," I said quickly, careful not to make eye contact.

"Well, the yellow group certainly beat you guys out for charisma, but I liked your outfits the most," Johanna said looking up from her nails, "I would have died if I was on the red chariot."

"Why?" I asked, "I didn't see the red group."

"Their outfits were made out of strawberries and cherries, they must have been so sticky with the sun on them, and imagine the bugs," Johanna smirked to herself. I'm sure she liked the idea of the tributes being tormented by bugs and hot sticky berry juice.

"That's truly a terrible idea," Phineas said, looking at Hilla, the boy's stylist. She nodded with agreement.

"The blue glitter was very good on your part Phineas," She said.

"Flowers were nice on yours," Phineas responded. They shared a moment and I wondered if something more than just friendship was going on between the two.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah your wonderful," Johanna said dryly, "but what's more important is training. Please tell me you guys know how to do something."

"Just because we're from the capitol don't mean we can't do stuff," Lois said haughtily.

"Yes, your grammar is very reassuring of that," Johanna said sarcastically. Lois looked confused.

"You said 'don't mean' you should have said 'doesn't mean'" D'Artagnan whispered to Lois. I gave out a small shriek of laughter that I tried to cover with a cough. Johanna gave me a quick smile, she found it equally amusing.

"I don't know how many skills I have, but I've watched every single hunger game and know every trick ever used. I'm clever and well informed," Cedric piped in confidently.

"Every trick in the book? Hun you've only seen what the cameras want you to see, it's all commercial. You might think you know, but it's a whole different ball game when you're thrown in there. Don't think you're safe because you know how people died in games passed. Knowing how someone was killed is different than knowing how to kill someone."

"What is it like, killing someone?" D'Artagnan asked hesitantly.

"Harden your heart, and it's the easiest thing in the world. If you believe for one moment that the other twenty three are human beings, you've already lost." Everyone was quiet at this. I wanted to change the subject, but I knew it wasn't wise. I needed to face reality. We all did.

"What is training like? You never get to see it on TV," Cedric said breaking the silence.

"There are different stations where you can practice and learn new skills. Each station has a professional there ready to help you. Let them help you, you're all gonna need it."

"You think we're stupid don't you," Lois said glaring at Johanna.

"Let me ask you a question Louise."

"Lois!"

"Irrelevant. Answer me this, what is flint best used for?"

Lois was quiet.

"Well since you're too smart to learn, expect some cold nights," Johanna was certainly growing on me. It could have been the fact that she just called Lois Louise, but she had a confidence that I envied. She'd been in that arena two times before and I could almost see why Cedric idolized her.

"Are you saying that there will be cold nights?" Cedric asked, "do you know what's in the arena?"

"I have no idea what's in that arena but it's good to plan ahead. Figure out what your best strategy is to survive any type of climate now, you're not just up against each other, but the game makers too," Johanna answered, "the arena itself is not a safe place."

"It's bound to be crazy, I mean this is the last hunger games," D'Artagnan said.

"It should make for a good show," Johanna said getting up.

"Where are you going?" Cedric asked.

"Opening ceremony, it's on in a bit, thought I'd see if you looked better on screen than in real life."

"Were we really that bad?" I asked looking at Phineas.

"You were charming dears, don't worry about what Johanna thinks," He replied.

"Not sure we'll all be able to do that," I said looking at my dear brother, he would always care what Johanna thought.

"Well are we going to watch the ceremony too?" D'Artagnan asked, "If we are as bad as Johanna says, it'll make for a good laugh!"

"To see myself in blue infront of the entire world? No thanks," Lois said getting up. What a snob. D'Artagnan, Cedric, and I got up too. We all wanted to watch the opening ceremonies.

"I'm going to bed, apparently we have 'a lot to learn' tomorrow." Lois said clearly mocking Johanna.

"If that was meant to be an impression of Johanna, it was terrible," D'Artagnan said. I laughed again. Seeing him get killed off was going to be even harder than I thought.


	4. Chapter 4 Training

Chapter 4

Training

My first fear was now to become a reality. Training was gonna start and I had no idea what to expect! I had no skills and learning them would be humiliating and stressful.

"Well don't look so happy," Johanna said, directing this comment towards my empty glare at my breakfast.

"This is so exciting!" Cedric said plopping down next to me with his place, "I've imagined what this would be like for so long! Now we're gonna find out!"

"Glad one of us is excited," Lois said pursing her lips haughtily. She seemed to do that a lot, "considering we apparently don't know anything, we'll be starting from square one."

"That's the spirit!" Johanna said smirking.

"It's true though, what do we know how to do?" D'Artagnan said in a honest way that I respected.

"What do you suggest we work on in there?" I asked completely clueless.

"That depends on how you want to play the game," Johanna responded.

"What if you don't know how you want to play the game?" I asked.

"Better figure that out fast."

"Isn't that something you're supposed to work on with us?" Lois whined. I was really sick of her.

"Probably."

"So are you going to?" D'Artagnan asked.

"Listen kids, go to the training today and learn stuff. Get your bearings. Get a plan. See what your competition is like. Then tonight I'll work with each of you and we can develop your plan accordingly, ok?" Johanna was annoyed with us once again.

"I've already got a plan!" Cedric said obviously trying to impress Johanna. I rolled my eyes.

"Over achiever," Johanna smiled. Cedric smiled back, "ok, up people, training time!" we reluctantly followed Johanna to the elevator. Cedric of course had that air of confidence that I so desperately wanted.

The training center was very large and very intimidating. I looked towards my brother for further instruction. His face was beaming! His rich brown eyes that had golden speckles in them were wide. He was clearly having the time of his life, or at least expected to have it.

I looked around at the other tributes. We all matched to a certain degree. We all had sweat suites on. They all had black bottoms and the tops were all the same style but each top matched the person's color. We looked like we were about to have the work out of our lives, and we probably were.

"What's first oh wise one?" I asked Cedric.

"I think we should learn survival skills first. You know shelter building and how to catch food, that kinda stuff. Surviving the other tributes is one thing, but if we can't even keep our selves alive due to basic human needs, we're in big trouble!"

I nodded, "How about we start with edible plants and berries?"

"Sounds good!"

Two green shirts were there, one was Topaz, I didn't know the other girl. Topaz smiled at Cedric, probably from the memory of him comforting her when her name had been called. He smiled back and her eyelids drop with embarrassment.

"Now I don't know what'll be in that arena, but chances are some of these plants and berries will be in there, so let's begin!" the instructor said.

We learned a lot in a small amount of time. Our instructor tested us a few times along the way to make sure we knew which things were edible and which ones were deadly look-a-likes. We went to many other stations: shelter building, trap setting, camouflage, and knot tying. All of these stations we spent a considerable amount of time at. I let Cedric be my leader. Topaz and her green companion, who I learned had the name Dorothy, "coincidentally" showed up at each of our stations too.

Cedric made friendly conversation with each tribute we came upon, joking with them, and even seeming to make friends with them. Friends, or at least a good impression. This annoyed me.

"What are you doing?" I asked in a hushed tone.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean. You're making friends with all of them!"

"I prefer the term allies rather than friends."

"Well you can't make allies with all of them Cedric!"

"I know," he said, "I'm going to decide who I want to group up with. Tributes who travel in groups usually make it farther. Yet it's not a bad idea to be on good terms with everyone, I won't be a first target to those who I don't ally myself with."

"Will that really help you win?" I asked.

"Scout, hunger games fourteen. Jayda hunger games twenty two. Matilda hunger games forty six-"

"Yeah ok I get it!" I said cutting him off.

"I can name six others who did this as well!"

"I bet you can. What about when it gets down to the last few, that is, if your plan works out."

"I guess I'll kill, plain and simple," Cedric said this with no hesitation. he said it courageously and casually, as if killing people was just another daily routine.

"You won't kill before then?"

"No, you have to kill at all points of the game. I'd just rather be in a group. People having your back so that others don't kill you before you can kill them. It's easier to kill people this way, and less painful since you have help."

"How could you possibly know it's less painful?"

"I guess I don't," Cedric gave me a half smile. I trusted him completely, but I didn't like the idea of getting close to those we would later have to turn on. I decided to keep my opinion to myself, or at least for now.

A bell rang meaning lunch. I was very grateful for it, we had been going for hours and I was hungry. We sat down next to a few others, "crazy day so far huh?" Cedric said.

"It's tough! I spent a good chunk of my time with a bow and arrow trying to hit that stupid target!" Phoenix said. He sounded frustrated and maybe even exhausted.

"Did you hit the target though?" A girl in purple asked.

"Only a few times."

"Well I tried to build a fire! That was a major fail!" A boy in red said who I met at the shelter building station. His name was Batriums.

"Is it really that hard? Me and Cedric were going to go there after lunch," I said.

"Oh really? So were we!" Topaz said.

"Wow, awesome," I said with a fake smile.

D'Artagnan then sat down across from me. He too looked overwhelmed, "long line for food," he said.

"What did you work on D'Artagnan?" Cedric asked as he stabbed his meat with a fork.

"Knife throwing," he replied.

"Hard to hit those targets isn't it?" Pheonix said.

"At first," he shrugged, "I did some weight lifting and running too."

"I didn't last long on that treadmill," the girl in purple said, "I am so out of shape and I didn't even know it!"

"I didn't last long with anything!" another girl in purple said who I learned was named Marygold.

"You weren't bad at the camouflage!" Cedric said encouragingly.

"Thanks Ced, but you were much better."

Tobias sat down next to Bartimus awkwardly. He was put in yellow and it was certainly not his best color. He looked at each of us for a brief moment quietly and then to his food.

"Long line still?" D'Artagnan asked. Tobias nodded awkwardly, not saying a word.

I looked around for Lois. Suddenly I was very curious of how she had been doing. She had been offended ever since Johanna suggested that she had to learn things. Suggested that she was clueless. I found her sitting with the two green boys and a red girl. I smiled to myself, she'd probably had quite the day.

When lunch was over we went to the fire making station like we had planned to, our green girl shadows following close behind. Dorothy figured out the fire making quickly. Topaz, on the other hand, struggled greatly. Cedric helped her since he had figured it out after a few tries and our instructor was helping the red girl at Lois's table.

"Thanks Ced," She said, "you're really good at everything," Topaz said batting her fake green eyelashes.

"Not really," Cedric replied humbly.

"Yes really!" Topaz said as she flirtatiously hit him. Cedric smiled at her and then gave me a glance, telling me he was weirded out. I batted my lashes at him and suppressed a laugh. He gave me another look that read 'shut up'.

I had a strange feeling that Topaz would not make Cedric's final cut when it came to who he would ally himself with. I looked around the room again. Who would he choose?


	5. Chapter 5 A Plan Developes

Chapter 5

A Plan Develops

The four of us awkwardly stood in each corner of the elevator. I never understood why elevators were so awkward, but they were. It was like some unwritten rule that you don't talk, make eye contact, or stand within a few inches of another person. I wonder why I was thinking about the strangeness elevators seem to bring to the social world, I guess my brain was kind of fried. I had learned so many new skills and my brain needed rest from all the new information.

"And how was training?" Johanna asked as we got off the elevator.

"Fine."

"Bearable"

"Awful."

"Awesome!" We all looked at Cedric with slight disgust, "well it was."

"So Johanna did you get any sponsors for us?" D'Artagnan questioned.

"You've got some people interested, but talking you up alone isn't going to get you sponsors, you better kick butt at your interviews and scores."

We were sent to our rooms to shower and change for dinner. The warm water felt good and refreshing, I could have used a day at the spa. I wondered if my mom was at the spa without me right now. Oh so exhausted. Just a massage would be good enough for me. Oh well.

"So tell me how it went for all of you. Lois do you feel like starting us off?" Johanna said with a menacing grin in Lois's direction. Johanna, like me, also hoped Lois had had a bad day.

"It was a shitty time ok?" Lois said angrily, "That's what you were hoping to hear wasn't it!"

"Feel like elaborating?" Johanna asked.

"Go to hell."

"Shut up Lois, don't you dare talk to Johanna that way!"

"Cedric," I said through clenched teeth, I didn't want him to get worked up like he sometimes did.

"Oh come on Bristol, you know Lois has been a bitch since day one and it's about time someone told her so!"

"Cedric!" I said maybe a bit louder than I had planned. Cedric looked at me in a sharp angry way. An awkward silent moment passed over us. Lois looked at me and then Cedric. She threw her napkin onto the table and got up. I watched her turn the corner and out of our sight.

"Well," Johanna said clearing her throat, "she's not going to get you all that many sponsors."

"We can talk about my day," D'Artagnan said trying to lift some of the uncomfortable tension that hovered over us, "I threw some knives and hit the target a few times."

"A few? I kept an eye on you, you were amazing!" Cedric clearly had been taking into account the skills of all the tributes, "you were lifting some pretty big weights too."

"Huh? A contender perhaps?" Johanna said.

"I don't know about that," D'Artagnan said avoiding eye contact. He was a little embarrassed, clearly a humble fellow.

"Bristol, what about you?"

"Me and Cedric stuck together," I said looking at my brother. I was still mad at him for yelling at Lois and calling her a bitch, even if she was one.

"So you guys are going for a package deal? The charming twins?"

"I guess," I replied.

"Cute, adorable, what did you guys work on?"

"Survival mostly. You know fire making, shelter building, that kind of stuff," Cedric said.

"So I suppose I work with you together on strategy? Unless of course Cedric is on top of that?"

"Oh no! We want your help!" Cedric said once again slipping into Johanna's spell. Johanna smiled at us. I wasn't sure what she was thinking, but she had a plan for us. I wouldn't put it passed her to choose favorites. I think she had more confidence in Cedric, but thought I'd be a nice factor in his victory. I guess that's all I really wanted in the end. Cedric to win.

"Well, I think I'll go find Lois, get her over with. She's probably in a mood that I'll have to slap her out of, and I might mean that literally," Johanna got up and followed the path Lois had taken a few minutes before.

"You should probably apologize to Lois," I said to Cedric when Johanna was out of sight.

"Yeah, I know. I just had a moment," Cedric said. He had anger management issues when he was younger, yet still as charming as ever. Cedric could get away with anything in any mood. I think all this confidence about the games that had suppressed the fears he really had deep down inside. He was probably going to get it out via bursts of anger.

"I'll go catch her before Johanna starts with her, it should put her in a better mood and make it easier for Johanna," Cedric said getting up, "be right back."

So there me and D'Artagnan sat. This evening had been a very awkward one, "so," I said.

"So," he responded. I laughed, "what?"

"This has been a really weird exhausting day and I think I'm hitting a wall!" I said smiling.

"I think all twenty four of us have! So how do you think Lois's day really went?"

"I don't know. I think all her life things have just been given to her. I don't think she's ever applied herself because she never had to. She never had to work to be good at something, and today that didn't work for her. She's just frustrated."

"You're good at reading people," D'Artagnan said studying my face. I blushed again. He had that affect on me.

"I don't know about that," I said looking at my plate since I had nowhere else to look.

"I think you do. Can I ask you a question?" his voice was calm and gentle, warm and welcoming.

"I don't see why not."

"What's your take on me? I know your take on Lois," He looked at me searching for answers in my face but desiring them from my mouth, and even better heart.

"I think," I stopped, "I think we shouldn't be friends."

"What?" D'Artagnan was clearly not expecting this answer.

"I think in another life we could have been good friends. But in a few days we're going to be each other's enemy. In a few days I'm going to want you dead, why get along now when I'll have to hate you soon enough?"

D'Artagnan and I sat silently, "that makes sense," he said.

"I'm sorry," I said. I did feel bad. D'Artagnan was someone I'd strangely grown attached to even though we had very minimal real interaction. How long had I known him anyways? Whatever, he was named after the main character in The Three Musketeers, it wasn't that cool. Ok yes it was. Why was I still thinking about this? Cedric came back to the table just in time.

"Better not be plotting against me," He said smiling. We laughed nervously.

"Apologize to Lois?" I asked.

"Yes, but she didn't want to hear it. I don't think Lois and Johanna will be together long."

"Probably not," D'Artagnan said. More silence. Johanna arrived with an angry Lois.

"Twins, you're up!"

Cedric and I followed Johanna into a secluded sound proof room, "alright, not going to lie, my money is on you two. You guys are going to get me a drink."

"A drink?" I asked.

"Remember I bet Haymitch one of you four would win? We bet a drink, and believe me when all of this is over I'm going to need one!"

I looked at Cedric raising an eyebrow, mocking him because this was the girl he was gaga for, "So my plan was to get a group together. I'm also trying to get on everyone's good side, I don't want to be a target right away."

"Ok, I expected a bit more out of you."

"Well I've got our week planned out. We're working on survival skills first, if we can't even meet human survival needs how are we supposed to survive against the other tributes? Then I want us to spend at least two days getting in shape, running mostly. When in doubt you run away! And of course we need to master weapons."

"Ok, what's your plan when you get into the arena?"

"I just said, groups."

"What about when you have to go against your group? Then what?" Johanna crossed her legs and arms simultaneously.

"Like you said, they're not human beings in that arena. The trick is to get them to think of me as a human being. And Bristol of course."

Johanna was impressed by his answer, "speaking of Bristol, what are your thoughts?"

" I'll do what he tells me, because I have no plan. I don't need one," I said in a low whisper

"And You've just killed yourself," Johanna said looking at me coldly.

"I'm not going to let that happen," Cedric said looking at me, "we're a team and we stick together. I'm not going down without a fight, and neither is she."

"But does Bristol want to fight?" Johanna asked.

"I just want Cedric to win," I said.

"Even if you and Cedric are the last two standing?" Johanna asked, "you'd be surprised what kind of things you'll do after you've been in that arena for days. After you've seen death first hand."

"What are you suggesting?" Cedric asked.

"I think, when the time comes, you'll turn on each other. Friendship and family is no longer relevant after a certain amount of time."


	6. Chapter 6 Game Mode

Chapter 6

Game Mode

"It's not true, what Johanna said," Cedric told me as we walked to the treadmills.

"Still going on about that?" I asked. The night before Johanna had told me and Cedric that we would end up hunting each other in the arena. I too was upset, but deep down inside I knew she was right. I'd seen people who seemed like friends in the arena turn on each other in an instant. Then again it was a game, and they weren't siblings.

"You know I'll never turn on you in there, nor will I let anyone touch you! If they do they're dead!

A few people turned to look at us wondering what was going on due to the semi raised voices. I glared at them and they turned away, "I know that, and you know that, so why does it bother you that Johanna doesn't seem to get it?"

"Because Johanna is supposed to look out for us, not discourage us," Cedric replied, "On." The treadmill started at Cedric's command. I looked at the thing, not so sure I wanted to try it out. At school, in gym, we'd have to run a mile towards the end of the year. It was the day I dreaded most. I wasn't one to apply myself when it came to energy, and starting now was not on the top of my list. It was however on the top of Cedric's list.

"On," I said reluctantly. The beast turned on and I started a slow jog. Cedric was already going a pretty decent pace, how long he could keep going with it I wasn't sure.

Across the way was a pool to swim laps in. I didn't know how to swim, unless sitting in a hot tub counted. The pool seemed to be a decently popular spot this morning. Swim suits were given out, once again matching each person's color. There must have been one over there made for me in a nice cerulean. The suits were ghastly though. The girls were all given very plain one piece suits. Our designers probably had nothing to do with them because no sense of fashion was involved in making them. I could tell some of the girls were embarrassed. I wasn't sure if it was because they didn't know how to swim, or because they would be learning how to in such horrid things.

We'd been at this for a very short time and I was already dying, "Slower," I said to mine once again.

"Again?" Cedric asked me.

"Yes. . .again," I was already out of breath.

"How are you going to. . .run away then. . .from others?" Cedric was also panting but he was at least still going strong.

"Please tell me. . .we're doing something. . .easier after this."

"I was thinking. . .we'd hit the pool. . .learning to swim would be. . .a good idea. Plus it'll be nice. . .and cool."

I looked over at the pool again. There were many instructors helping kids one on one. They had floating boards that the kids held on to as they kicked their way across. It didn't look fun, or any easier than this horrid running. There was one plus side, all the guys had their shirts off and some of them looked good. D'Artagnan was nicely built. Shit.

"Maybe not. . .swimming," I said.

"And risk. . .drowning?"

"Who cares!"

"I do!"

"Well quit. . .caring!" I said, "stop!" The treadmill stopped. Cedric stopped his as well. We grabbed our water bottles and guzzled them down.

"We're going to have to get back on these later today whether you like it or not."

"Yeah, yeah I know," I said taking another sip of water, "swimming then?" I groaned.

"Swimming."

We went over to the pool and we were given our specially made suites. There wwere small changing rooms for the girls and guys. The green girls were in the girl's changing room putting on their suites. At least my blue one wasn't quite as bad as the green ones, "hey Bristol," Topaz said smiling.

"Hi Topaz, hey Dorothy."

"We're going to learn how to swim! Isn't that scary! There better be hair dryers when we get out, I can't stand the idea of my hair getting ruined by the water!" Topaz said. I was certain her hair would not lose its curl from not being dried right away, but the idea of not having something to dry me right away was bothersome.

I followed them out and met up with Cedric. I saw Topaz out of the corner of my eyes basically drooling over my brother's body. Cedric smiled and nodded at them politely. Topaz giggled, and then suddenly turned red. She must have been very embarrassed by her appearance. Heaven forbid my brother see her in an ugly bathing suit! Then again I was feeling rather self conscious too.

Nathanial, the other yellow boy, got out of the pool and shook his head like a dog does when they get wet. Drips of water sprayed at us and me and the green girls squealed. I'd never felt cold water on me before. The showers were always warm, as were the sinks. I always had an umbrella when it rained. This was terrible.

"Ready to get in?" Cedric asked me.

"That's a big time no," I said. Cedric, without any hesitation, pushed me into the water. A huge sense of panic went through my body, I was going to die before I even got in the arena. I splashed around screaming.

"Stand up," a young woman said to me, she was a swimming instructor. I did as I was told and found that this end of the pool was shallow, "a bit of a scare there huh? First time in a pool?"

I looked up at Cedric who was laughing. Several people were laughing. How humiliating. I was wet, cold, dressed in a horrid suit, and now people were laughing at how pathetic I was. I was going to have to get Cedric back somehow. Thankfully Topaz had seemed to be having a freak episode a few lanes away, except of course no one took any notice.

The lunch bell rang. I had realized we spent almost half our day in this god forsaken pit of water. At least I could now basically swim. Treading water wasn't so easy though. D'Artagnan, I had noticed, was a very strong swimmer already. Stupid perfect boy who I can't be friends with. At least I knew we wouldn't be getting back in the water for the rest of the day.

"So Cedric," I said as we stood in line for food, "do you know who you want in our alliance yet? You've been watching, I know you have."

"I don't want more than six. So only four others. I think it'd be cool to have three girls and three boys. I'm definitely looking at Charlene," Cedric responded. Charlene was a girl in white, she was only fourteen but was deadly. I'd only met her briefly, but I could tell she was in game mode. Game mode, something most of us lacked.

"Charlene would be cool," I said, "She's cute too, people at home will like her."

"Agreed. I'm not sure yet what other girl. I've got a few boys in mind though. D'Artagnan has been impressive I must say, and we already know him."

" D'Artagnan? He's your first choice?" This wasn't good. It was my new goal to stay away from him, have no contact with him, not even look him in the eyes. But yes, he was very impressive. If I wasn't set on hating him from this point forward I would have certainly chose him to be in our group, no question about it.

"You don't think so?" Cedric looked surprised at me. I gestured to a two person table and we sat down, "he's amazing and easy to get along with. I want to be able to tolerate the people we're with, and D'Artagnan is basically a friend! Did you see him throw those knives yesterday?"

"I. . ." I trailed off. I had told myself that I would do whatever Cedric said. I would agree with all of his decisions. I wanted Cedric to win with all my heart and I knew having D'Artagnan on our side would give him a better chance.

"You. . .?"

"I think he's a great choice, I just want to make sure you know exactly who you want. That's all," I looked down at my food. It looked very good, but I suddenly didn't want any of it.

"Alright. But I want you to be just as ok with all of the choices," Cedric said.

"Charlene and D'Artagnan are both good looking and fierce. They'll win over Panem, and we want the favorites on our side. The better the group the more sponsors will be involved in our game," I said.

"You're starting to think like me," Cedric said smiling.

"Well," I said looking up from my food, "if you need another girl I'm sure Topaz will be glad to join you, I mean us."

"Don't even start!"

I laughed, "have I struck a nerve?"

"She's a very pretty girl, and very sweet, but she has nothing going on up in her noggin! She probably won't make it passed the first few days. Maybe not even the first," Cedric said with a shrug.

"Unless she's playing it that way. Maybe she's in game mode too, just making it look like she's dumb. Not making herself a threat to any of us."

"You're starting to think too much like me now," Cedric said with a quick grin, "Johanna was like that. Cried, looked like a weakling, and kicked everyone's ass."

"You and Johanna, if you win are you going to run away with her? Live happily ever after?" I teased in a dramatic voice.

"Yeah I have the ring picked out and everything," he joked back. There was a moment of silence. Chewing and munching. The food still wasn't terribly appealing to me.

"I'm proud of you," Cedric said. I looked up surprised and confused.

"proud of me? Why?"

"You're finally in game mode."

"Me? I don't know about that. . ." I looked away, examining each table. Twenty two other people sat eating and talking. Each had spent their day similarly. Each learning how to kill the other. Maybe we were the evil after all. Or we had been forced to become the evil. Looking at their laughing smiling faces, suddenly all I saw was a superficial rainbow of colored children. Or even just a rainbow. Maybe they weren't human beings after all.

"Welcome to game mode," Cedric said. I turned to look at him. He had been studying my face and knew exactly what had just happened in my mind. Maybe I could fight, maybe I could kill, maybe I could stay alive.

"Glad to be here Cedric, glad to be here."


	7. Chapter 7 The Dueling Comrades

Chapter 7

The Dueling Comrades

Training had become my drive, just like Cedric. The games were just days away and I had to be ready, ready to survive, and more importantly keep my brother alive. I hadn't developed any major skills, just a basic understanding of each thing. When the day finally came for us to present a skill to a panel of judges to get a score that would be presented to all of Penam. Cedric said he was going to impress the judges with spear throwing, something he had become rather fond of. He could throw it a good distance and was very accurate with it. I on the other hand was clueless.

"Cedric, I have nothing to show them!"

"I thought you said you were going to figure that out last night!"

"Yeah well I was just as clueless than as I am now," I looked around at the other tributes, each one by one going into that room to do something impressive.

"Bristol, you do realize that we're going in rainbow order and green just started. You have only a few more people. Figure it out damn it!"

"What was I best at? Help me damn it!"

Cedric looked at me for a moment thinking. This was a bad sign. Was I really that bad at everything that he couldn't come up with anything. Then again I couldn't come up with anything so I must have been, "You were good at sword fighting. When you and that instructor went at it, I was impressed. You even beat him a few times."

"That's because I did fencing at school, I was on the team remember?" I had only been on the team for a very limited time. I needed more gym credits, I may or may not have skipped a few too many gym classes, and the only way I could pass gym was to be on a team. I only knew about fencing from books and it sounded really glamorous and heroic. It turned out to be very dull and you used a thing called a foil instead of an actual sword. Why I thought they would give us real swords I'm not sure. I won a championship and quit. Winning apparently gave you more than enough credits to pass gym.

"So now you have something!"

"Minor detail, I have no opponent, how do I show my skills without a partner?" I looked at him hopelessly.

"I," Cedric stopped to think. He was good at thinking, "I have a plan. You won't like I though."

"A plan is better than no plan, no matter how bad it is! So what is it?"

Cedric said nothing, "I've changed my mind, you won't dislike, you'll hate it."

"Cedric! Just tell me!" I was annoyed.

"You promised to do whatever I said remember?"

"Yes, yes of course, now tell me what your plan is!"

"If I tell you now, you'll break that promise. So you'll have to wait," I scowled at Cedric's words, "good thing you aren't using patience as your skill. You'd get a score of zero!"

"Cedric," I growled.

"Be right back dear sister," Cedric got up and walked to the man who guarded the door. He whispered something and the man crossed his arms. He shook his head and seemed to protest. My brother talked to him some more making hand gestures showing that he was losing patience. He too was lucky he wasn't using that as his skill. They talked a great deal until finally the man gave in and nodded. Cedric walked back over to me.

"And?"

"And you now have a partner," said my trouble stirring brother. He had just done something risky, something he shouldn't have done. Maybe it was better I didn't know.

"You didn't get anyone fired or murdered did you?" I asked raising an eyebrow, half joking half serious.

"The only people dying will be in the arena."

We waited for a while making random conversation. Topaz exited and stopped by us. We looked up at her as she stood in a pose that was suggesting more than friendship, "Are you ready guys? I'm sure you'll do great."

"Thanks Topaz," Cedric said smiling weakly, "we're as ready as we'll ever be."

"I'd tell you what I did in there, but it's a secret," she said this putting a finger to her lips as if she was about to shoosh.

"I'm sure you did great with whatever it was you did," Cedric said hoping she'd move on.

"Oh, I think so. I think it was worthy of at least an eight. But, we'll see won't we," She raise her eyes and pursed her lips, kind of like Lois did but it was more of a sad attempt at being seductive instead of haughtiness. Topaz left, her being the last of the greens. Lois was called in.

Lois looked nervous. I hadn't really talked to her much this whole time and wasn't sure how she had been doing during training. Had it stayed awful for her? Had she made any friends? Did she develop any good skills? I had no idea. I really didn't like her, but I felt for her. I was just as nervous as she was, I just didn't show it on the outside like she did.

"If Lois is first then I'm next right?" I said looking at Cedric. I wanted him to say no you're not next but I knew I was. Why was I even asking? I didn't need to hear it from someone, it only made it more real.

"_We're_ next," Cedric said staring straight ahead but glancing at me with his eyes.

"What do you mean 'we're next'?" I didn't like the sound of this, not one bit, "you're not, oh god no, Cedric you didn't!"

"You needed a partner. Why not have a mini tournament of our own? Go full out, we'll both get scored for it."

"You're insane. That's not fair, whoever wins will get the higher score. Besides you were going to spear throw and stuff!" My nerves became more of a panic mode.

"Yeah, so? Worried I'm going to beat you?" It was quite the opposite. Cedric was not as good as I, and the chances of me beating him were very high. He knew this too. Why was he throwing his score away?

"You're really willing to risk your score for mine? Are you stupid or something?"

"Sometimes people purposefully get bad scores to throw the others off, so I don't mind getting a low score. I swear Bristol if you let me win I will make sure you regret it! I want us to go in there and have a nice little duel. We're going to each try to win and hold nothing back, understand?" Cedric looked right into my eyes. We had the same eyes, or at least that's what people had told us. His eyes of course were stern and serious and mine were now panicked and confused.

"What will the game makers think of it?"

"They'll probably score us high just for creativity. I've never heard of two tributes going in at the same time, and I've read enough books on this for me to know! It'll probably be exciting for them too, this whole 'who will win' thing. It's like their own personal hunger games!"

"Except neither of us dies," I said pulling him back into the world of reality. The world where this wasn't a fun activity we were privileged with.

"You're a mood killer, you know that?"

"Good, this mood needed to be killed."

Lois walked out. She looked flustered and upset. She was muttering to herself as she walked out, fists clenched at her sides, "how'd it go?" Cedric asked in a cold mocking tone, a way I would have expected Johanna to use. She stopped and glared at him.

"I guess you, and all of panem will find out, won't you!" Lois screeched. She was not happy. She stopped out.

"Cedric, why did you have to bring that up? You could tell she was disappointed in herself, why rub it in?"

"All I did was ask how it went!"

"That might have been what you said but it wasn't what you meant. Why make her feel worse than she already did!"

"Why do you care so much anyways?"

"Shut up Cedric!" Way to go Ced, you got my blood boiling. Got it boiling right before we had to go in.

A long table with a spread of food was where the judges sat. Each indulging in what they could. The one who sat in the middle was an interest to me. I knew who he was but couldn't place a name to the face. I looked at Cedric and I knew he found interest in him too. I was sure that Cedric knew exactly who this man was, I'd ask him later. Now was not the time to ask questions, nor did I really feel like talking to him in the first place. Lois was a bitch, I'll be honest, but in the end she was just a scared little girl. A scared little girl just like me.

I grabbed the wooden katana, as the instructor had called it, and turned to face my opponent. I wanted to whack Cedric with it badly. Knock some sympathy into him. Wasn't it bad enough that he was going to kill her? Oh Lois, bringing out the worst in Cedric which brought out the worst in me. Our "swords" hit each other.

"She'll be gone by the first day!" Cedric said.

"Why are you picking on her so much!" I growled.

"Would you rather have me pick on someone strong and mighty like D'Artagnan?"

"Why are you bringing him into this?"

"Did I strike another nerve?" Cedric said, indeed striking a nerve and almost striking me with his wooden stick of a sword.

"No! No you did not!" I said defensively as I defended myself from his blows.

"What's up with D'Artagnan? He's a good looking bloke, interested?"

"I most certainly am not!"

"That's why you got so defensive when I suggested him for our group! You don't want to get close to him because you have feelings for him!"

"Cedric that is ridiculous!" ridiculous but so true. . .

We fought as he taunted, I almost forgot we were being judged, well not almost. I totally forgot. Cedric kept taunting me bringing up D'Artagnan, bringing up Lois, bringing up things that would make me angry. I flung a dummy in front of me causing Cedric to stab it as I scurried around him. The swords made loud whacking sounds each time they hit. I had better form but he had good instinct. In some ways I had the advantage but in other ways we were evenly matched.

"Well if you have no feelings for D'Artagnan then I'll give you the honor of killing him when it gets down to it!"

I whacked Cedric's shoulder hard and he fell to the ground. I stepped on his chest and but the tip of the wooden katana on his heart. I won.

"You two may go," a voice said.

I looked up and around me. What had just happened? I was out of breath. I looked around and almost everything was knocked over. I breathed rapidly because I was tired from fighting, but also because I was so angry. I looked down at my brother who was underneath my foot. He was smiling gleefully as if he had really just won. I slowly lifted my foot off of him, and ignored his hand which he had reached up so I would help him to his feet.

"Thank you," I said to the man who looked so familiar, and left. I didn't even bother to see if how my brother was doing, because I could feel his satisfaction behind me.


	8. Chapter 8 Scores and Interviews

Chapter 8

Scores and Interviews

"I told you, it was only to get you mad so you would actually fight with me! Come on stop being stupid," Cedric said to me as we stood in the elevator together, waiting to get to our floor. I didn't look at him. I had forgiven him but still needed to let the rest of the steam leave my system. He knew this though, he knew me well. I felt a little bad though, I had been a bitch, in some ways I was just as bad as Lois. He let me be as we walked out into the lounge that the elevator opened too.

"Sixes all around?" Johanna asked greeting us.

"Sixes?" Cedric asked raising a brow.

"I'm not expecting high scores this year," Johanna said flatly.

"Did Lois look upset when she got here?" I asked.

"Yes. She had a few words to share," Johanna said smiling with an air of humorous arrogance. I imagined that Lois had made quite the show. Poor thing.

D'Artagnan seemed confident when he finally joined us. He didn't say much about it but he mentioned knife throwing. This feeling of unknowing tension grew the whole evening. What happened in all those sessions? Who was the real threat? who was in the game? who was going to try and kill me, and who would succeed?

So there we sat. All seven us. In silence. Four Tributes, two stylists, and one crazed mentor. All seven staring blankly at the TV screen. We took a group inhale when the program stared. I waited for the group exhale, but knew it wouldn't happen until the program was over. The faces of red appeared, and then orange, and then yellow. Johanna was right about not expecting high numbers. Two's and three's were reoccurring numbers.

Topaz managed a five. I looked at Cedric, he too was shocked. She didn't get the eight, but out of the sixteen faces we had seen so far, only two others had managed fives. If five was the big number, I was worried. Rockwelled, a green boy, also squeezed a five.

"Haymitch," I heard Johanna say under her breath as if she was cursing. So Haymitch was in charge of the green team. It didn't mean much to me, but I'm sure it gave Cedric an idea of how the green group would strategize.

Lois's face appeared and I saw her body tense up from the corner of my eyes. A six was shown. A six? Was Lois really in the lead? What? Had Lois been playing us this whole time? What did she do in there? I just had to know!

Cedric and I were shown together, this twin thing was really starting to take effect. Sevens. We scored sevens! I imagined Haymitch now using Johanna's name as a swear word. Shock and joy filled me. I only hoped D'Artagnan would score high too. I wouldn't want him to be the weak blue candidate. How would he feel if he scored a three?

D'Artagnan, an eight. Six, seven, seven, eight. I wanted to laugh at the other colors, rub it in their faces, blue wins! But of course we weren't trying to beat the other colors. Not trying to get the highest scores as a team. Blue wasn't an actual team, we were on our own. We were on our own and these numbers were nothing but something for the people of Panem to identify with us with. Nothing more. My joy fell fast. Fell like our lives would. I was pessimistic, but I think it was quite acceptable.

No one else scored as high as an eight, but Charlene scored a seven. I wanted to talk to Cedric, who did he now have in mind for our alliance? I wondered if his view on Lois would change. She'd be a good asset according to her score, and an easy first kill when we start picking our group off. Wow I really was becoming Cedric.

"Got the six people figured out?" I asked Cedric that night as I sat at the edge of his bed.

"I think so. Interviews will confirm for me. I need to know who is likable. Who has the people's interest, and frankly, it'll tell me which people I can tolerate."

"Interview," I groaned. I couldn't believe I had forgotten. In some ways I think this will be fun. Getting dressed up and talking about myself, which let's face it, is always fun. Yet it was another thing to learn, another thing to work on, and what if they don't like me?

"It'll be fun!" Cedric said reassuring me.

"What isn't fun for you here!" Cedric's optimism wasn't very admirable to me as it once had been. Now it was just annoying.

"Interviews are important," Johanna said to us the next day. She paced in front of us, as we four sat on the couch watching her go back and forth. I don't think I was the only one dreading the possibilities of this interview process.

"Not all of us are naturally likeable," Johanna eyed Lois, "so we're going to have to work hard. Also we need to figure out how you want to be perceived. Tough, funny, smart, you decide!"

Cedric raised his hand as if he was still in school, "are we working as a group or individually?"

"You and your sister are a package deal whether you like it or not. You'll be working together, eight and six I'll work with individually."

"Are we starting now?" D'Artagnan asked.

"Thanks for volunteering! Let's go!" Johanna left and D'Artagnan reluctantly followed her out of the room.

"Lois," Cedric said after Johanna and D'Artagnan were out of vision, "congratulations on the six."

Lois glared at him, searching his face for sincerity, "thanks. . ." she responded with hesitation and suspicion. I wondered if Cedric now wanted Lois on his side. He'd have to do a lot better than that to make up for what he'd said to her in the past.

"No really! You did well!"

"Well same to you I suppose," Lois was cold and arrogant.

"What did you do?" I asked, dying to know! Lois looked uncomfortable, "you don't have to tell us if you don't want to."

"I built a fire," Lois said after a moment.

"A fire?" really? that was it? Cedric looked just as confused as I.

"And I burned things, threw fire," Lois piped in, clearly our faces had shown the shock and confusion we were feeling. She was defensive, and well, a little scary. Burning things? Throwing fire? yikes.

"Wow, well that is, umm, quite interesting," Cedric said.

"And what is that supposed to mean!" Lois had pierced her words, maybe she was a deadly threat after all.

"That's just and interesting skill, and well, a little scary," Cedric was quite blunt. I wasn't sure if I agreed with him. Letting her know he was intimidated in a sense? I don't know. Just another way to gain her trust I suppose.

Around an hour later Johanna appeared, "Twins, you're up!" I was worried. I knew we wouldn't be interviewing together. This meaning for the first time in all of this, I wouldn't have Cedric there with me to tell me the answer.

A blue ball gown with a large collar and a giant flower headdress clothed me as I prepared for my interview. The corset top was pulled a little too tightly and the gold embroidery on the bodice was a little tacky. I said nothing but thank you, Lois had a few more things to say.

"Why does Bristol get gold and me silver? Gold is louder, she'll be noticed more, and this collar is weird. Can we untie this corset a bit more?"

"I think you positively fabulous my dear," Phineas said fixing her headdress, which Lois had also mentioned was too heavy.

the boys had magnificent capes and very tall top hats that were embroidered like our dresses. Cedric tipped his hat to us, "I feel like such a gentleman!"

"Looking like a gentleman and feeling like one doesn't mean you are," I teased.

"Alright children, show time!" Johanna said. She pushed us out the door as if we were little kids incapable of finding our way out by ourselves. I wouldn't be surprised if she truly did think this.

Cedric played great attention to each interview, I didn't though. I had one chance to show the country who I was and I certainly wasn't about to mess it up. I did give Topaz some attention though. She was ditsy and sexy, no surprise there. Lois I also took some interest in. She of course had her arrogant air, but was surprisingly charismatic. Johanna must have done something wondrous in that coaching session.

Then my name was called. The tight corset wasn't doing me any favors, nerves already made it hard to breath. I smiled awkwardly at the new announcer. His name was Percy Newds, I'd be ashamed to have that name.

"Well Bristol Bellflower aren't you lovely!" he said to me as I sat down.

"Oh you're far to kind Percy!" I said as if me and him had been friends for years. So far so good.

"So you're here with your twin brother! That must be very hard on you!"

He seemed awfully positive about this. I wasn't sure if I was to be honest about how I really felt, make myself look vulnerable, or should I blow it off like a joke. I wanted Cedric's glance to give me an idea of how to answer but I didn't want to be ridiculed by Johanna. She had made a point in telling me that I was no longer to be Cedric's shadow but his equal.

"Well he's got a plan of action, so I'd say I'm pretty lucky!" I was pretty sure that was not how Percy had wanted me to respond but I didn't want to actually answer the question and risk crying in front of the entire country.

"So following the leader then?"

"I let him _think_ he's the leader," I joked, hoping that Johanna would approve of this answer. People laughed and it made me feel a little bit more at ease.

"So you're really the mastermind."

"Oh yeah, most definitely!" the audience laughed again. I guess sarcastic was how I was to be perceived.

"Ok, so moving away from that, having a good time with your own stylist? I mean you look fabulous!"

"Well what girl doesn't want her own stylist? And he's genius. I mean I've got a lot of great clothes at home but it's awesome to have someone design clothes just for me!"

"Well for you and Lois," Percy pointed out.

"Well we match, but our outfits are still different. I mean gold embroidery verses silver? Come on!" I felt bad about that one. I didn't want to sound like I was mocking our wardrobe, or Phineas in general.

"Soooo different!" Percy said playing off of me.

"Yeah, but I mean seriously, in all honesty Phineas has made such beautiful things. I am so lucky to wear them. I mean to think I could have gotten stuck wearing fruit at the opening ceremonies! That certainly didn't look comfortable!"

"Sticky indeed!"

"Well at least if they got hungry they were set!" More laughter. I didn't think of myself as that funny, but I accepted the audience's response with open arms.

"Well Bristol thank you very much! Anything you want to say before I call up your brother?"

"I'd just like to thank the academy!" I had always wanted to say that, "and that you all better watch out for the Bellflower twins!" everyone clapped as I walked off the platform. It seemed to have gone well.

Cedric was hilarious, smooth, and made sure everyone knew he was the hunger games biggest fan. He made me look forgettable, which I suppose I was ok with. He was going to win anyways, not me. D'Artagnan probably won over every girl watching. He was such a gentleman, and very charming. His smile probably lit up every television screen. My interview was extremely mediocre at this point.

Johanna gave us a satisfied grin when all was said and done, "not bad, I almost liked you guys." I wondered if this was the biggest compliment she was capable of giving us.

Watching the interviews back was painful. Everyone was at decent enough in their own way, some of them I knew were not showing their true identity. Acting sweet and innocent when they were really mean and annoying.

Yet none of this mattered anymore. Had it ever? Next stop was the games. Next stop was death. Revenge for the people who lived in the different districts, and entertainment for the people I once belonged to in the capitol. I heard Lois crying in the room next to me. I knew none of us would get any sleep tonight. Except maybe Cedric. Cedric, my brother, my best friend, my enemy.

But when the games finally arrived, not even Cedric could have been prepared for what we were about to face.


	9. Chapter 9 A Deadly Fun House

Chapter 9

A Deadly Fun House

I woke up in my room. Or maybe not. I couldn't be home. There was no way my parents were down stairs and Cedric would not be in the shower, like he always was when I woke up. So if I wasn't at home, why was I in my room? I got out of my bed and walked to my closet. There was only one thing hanging in it. It was a track suite similar to what I had worn during training, only instead of blue it was black. I decided to put it on, it wasn't like I had much of a choice.

When I stripped down I noticed a small lump on my upper arm. It kind of hurt when I touched it. The tracking device. So we were in the arena. It then occurred to me that everyone probably woke up in a room that looked like their own. So this is how it was going to be? A large house?

I went over to the window overlooking the massive backyard. It had very large walls fencing us in. A giant hedge maze took up most of the area, the rest was filled with a garden, a pool, and a patio. This was definitely new. I gave props to this year's game makers, this was definitely a first. I wondered what Cedric would think of this! Cedric. How was I supposed to find him?

I was unusually calm considering the circumstances. I hadn't heard any cannons yet, so all twenty four of us were still alive. I knew I couldn't stay in this room forever so now was as good a time as any to leave. Sure someone was probably outside my door waiting to kill me, but I was going to die sooner or later. I took a deep breath and opened my door carefully.

I walked out into a very long hallway that was covered with mirrors that distorted your reflection. It was like a deadly fun house at a carnival. I walked down the hall quietly. No one else seemed to be around except for hundreds of me's. I didn't like it, there was no way of escaping oneself.

I finally met a spiral staircase after what seemed to be a very long walk. Dead man walking was the phrase that came to mind. I walked down the stairs round and round getting dizzy. I soon found myself in the entry way with a large heavy door that lead to the front yard. There was a closet too that I decided might contain something useful. But when I opened it I found nothing but scarves.

Scarves? I was confused. Confused until I found one around my neck! Choking? shit! I was going to be the first one to die. What was the point of fighting back now? All I could do was stand there and wait for the silky cloth to strangle me. But the blackout never came, nothing happened.

"Bristol," I heard the hot breath say into my ear. It was Charlene. She turned me around to face her with force. She took the scarf off my neck. My not thought out instincts kicked in and I swung a punch at her. She fell to the ground. I doubt it was due to the force of my punch but just because it caught her off guard.

"God Bristol what the hell is wrong with you? We're on the same side!"

"Sorry," I said helping her up. I knew she was one of Cedric's picks. "Sorry," I said again, "you scared me."

Charlene was dressed in the same black track suit as I was, her long yellow hair pulled into two high pig tails. She looked even younger than fourteen with this hairstyle but she was intimidating all the same which made for a very ironic appearance. "Have you seen anyone else yet?" she asked.

"No, you?"

"Not yet, glad I found you right away though."

"Yeah, same," I wasn't sure if I was being totally serious considering she wrapped a scarf around my neck causing me to relive my life at a very rapid pace, "Do you think everyone else is sleeping?"

"I think everyone is up. I think we all woke up at the same time," Charlene replied.

"Why is that?"

"Answer me this," Charlene said leaning in, "do you remember falling asleep or arriving here?"

I had to think about this a moment. It really hadn't occurred to me, "no."

"Exactly. I think they programmed us all to fall asleep at the same time, and then woke us up all at the same time." This was an interesting theory and not unlikely, "Dirty trick to make it look like our rooms."

"How long ago did you wake up?" I asked.

"Ten, maybe fifteen minutes ago. You?"

"Same."

"Then that proves my point. People will show up soon so I suggest we get a move on," Charlene turned to leave.

I grabbed her arm to stop her, "where though?"

"I think our best bet is the kitchen," Charlene responded. I was glad to have Charlene with me, she had much more of a plan than I. Well anyone with a plan would at this point, I was so clueless.

"How will we find it?" I whispered, "and more importantly, how will we find the others?" Cedric had been constantly on my mind, if he wasn't here I couldn't truly feel safe, even with someone like Charlene with me.

"Will you just shut up and trust me?"

"Sorry I just. . ." I knew to stop by Charlene's sharp glare. I followed her cautiously through a room with pictures of each of the tributes. Each face smiling happily. Each face soon to be dead. Charlene tugged at me since I had slowed down to examine each face. We had to get to the kitchen. What if it didn't have a kitchen? Well of course it did, it's a house. A weird house though. Some rooms were tiny and I had to duck to fit in, some had high ceilings but were a very tight squeeze.

We stopped in a room that hurt my eyes with all the spinning neon lights and spirals that could hypnotize if stared at for too long, "why did we stop here?"

"Good time to take a break," Charlene said taking a seat on the floor.

"Why here though?" I hated this room.

"It's a grand place!" she responded cruelly. I looked around again. It was not a grand place.

"A grand place? In what sense? It's like 'crazy circus after midnight' I feel like an evil clown is gonna eat me!"

"Wow Bristol," Charlene laughed, "what a way to die!" she laughed harder. This is when it hit me.

"You want the first kill? And you want it in here?" Charlene was a cynical freak to me at this point.

"This is a pretty brilliant place for a brutal murder, is it not? Give the people at home a good show!"

"You are sick."

"If you're gonna kill why not have fun with it? Besides I have a bigger agenda. Step aside please," Charlene got up and pushed me out of her way. She walked over to a large box and turned the crank. I had failed to notice this up until now but I didn't like the look of it. She turned the crank and it made a loud little melody ending with a large clown, scarier than hell, popping out right in my face. I screamed bloody murder and fell to the ground. Charlene laughed again.

"perfect," she said standing above me."

"That could have killed us! You had no idea what it was going to do!"

"Sometimes you need to take a gamble! Besides it made a loud noise and your scream added to it. People will be curious and be headed in our direction soon."

Carnival music began to play, "shit, shit, shit!"

"What is wrong with you?" Charlene was now annoyed with me as a tag along and I was crossing my fingers that she wouldn't decide to make me her first victim.

"Why did that music start!"

"Who cares? Just a few more minutes and people will be here!"

"And how are you going to kill them?" I wondered if Charlene had actually even thought that far. Maybe she was really all just talk at the end of the day.

"With this," Charlene took a clock's minute hand out of her pocket. The arrow tip looked pointy and probably could pierce skin. It was a decent size too. She must have found a large clock before she found me. She was resourceful, I had to give her that.

"Could that really kill someone though?"

"We'll find out won't we?" she smiled deviously. I was officially scared of Charlene, and the lights in this room that shown on her face didn't help. Her eyes and teeth glowed white like a demon possessed little girl with her stupid pony tails.

Sounds of footsteps suddenly appeared. I looked at Charlene with big fearful eyes. She pointed to the corner of the room and I nodded. I realized I was still on the floor so I got up and walked to the corner, well out of the way of Charlene's blood thirst.

It was Marygold who graced us with her presence, a medium sized brick in her hand ready to use. It was then that I closed my eyes. I didn't want to see Marygold die, I sort of knew her now, we had eaten lunch together during training. There were a few screams and shrieks and a grunt from Charlene. I heard a brick and body fall. There was a terrible cracking noise along with last agonizing whimpers. I peeked and saw Charlene bashing Marygold's head in with the brick and the clock hand shoved into her neck. The next scream to be heard was mine. I quickly covered my mouth. There I sat motionless as the cannon blasted. The first death accomplished.

Charlene took out her clock hand shank and Marygold's brick and stepped back. Marygold's gruesome body slowly disappeared into nothing. I shook and felt nauseous for a few moments. Charlene was a monster. This was so much worse in person than on television.

"Oh my god," I said softly staring at the empty space where Marygold had laid only moments earlier.

"Now we wait," Charlene said casually.

"Excuse me?"

"Who do you think will come to the sound of a cannon and screams?"

I thought for a moment and then understood Charlene's plans. She killed because she knew Cedric would come to the death site. he'd know it was either us or a threat that should be eliminated immediately. Also, I was sure, Charlene wanted the pleasure of the first kill. Charlene smiled, she knew I understood.

"You're very smart, scary, but smart."

"Thanks."

There was some silence between us as the reality of what had just happened completely soaked in, "I bet we were on TV just now!"

"Probably!" Charlene giggled. For a short moment we were just giddy normal girls feeling like TV stars. Moments like this do not last though. Not in the games. I decided to ask a question that had been bothering me that Charlene would probably know the answer to.

"Who else is with us? You, me, Cedric, D'Artagnan I'm assuming?"

"Lois was mentioned, but that's hard to know for certain. Migquel was also an interest to your brother."

"Migquel?" Migquel was one of the boys in orange. He had not stood out in my mind at all, he had managed a four and his interview was quite forgettable. I'm not sure I had said any more than three words to him.

"I don't know, Cedric liked him. If he doesn't contribute much he'll be easy enough to kill off."

"I guess so."

"You really need to get used to this."

"It's not that easy!" I looked at Charlene, holding in her hands the brick and clock hand, "well for some of us anyways."

We waited in silence until we heard footsteps again. Charlene tensed up preparing herself. It was D'Artagnan and Lois. Me and Charlene exhaled simultaneously. They were relieved to see us as well, the fact that Cedric was not with them was still concerning to me though.

"You guys get the first kill?" D'Artagnan asked looking impressed.

I pointed to Charlene, "she's guilty."

"Obveously, like you could kill anyone," Lois said raising her eyebrows as she crossed her arms. My relief to see her went down a few notches. I brushed the comment off however, I was eager to get moving and hear what our plans were.

"So what now? The kitchen?"

"I think we should try to find your brother," D'Artagnan said not looking at me. I could tell there was some tension still between us. This was probably best in the long run though, this way I would have little remorse when he died.

"I say the kitchen, knowing your brother I think he would be headed there too. Maybe if we're lucky we'll find him on the way," Charlene said. It was clear to me she was taking charge while Cedric was still lost.

"As long as we get out of this freak show of a room I'm fine," Lois said looking around clearly uncomfortable.

"Thank you!" I said.

"So we all agree on the kitchen?" D'Artagnan asked looking at all of us.

"The kitchen," I confirmed. And the Kitchen it was decided.


	10. Chapter 10 Get Over It

Chapter 10

Get Over It

The cannon blasted again. My first thought was Cedric. He could have been the killer surely. My suggestion to head in the direction of the death was unanimously denied though. Cedric would find us is what I was told. This was ridiculous in my mind though, why would we not want to find Cedric ourselves? He was, in my mind any ways, the ring leader to our murderous circus.

"The game makers are going to make something go wrong soon, two kills so far isn't satisfying for any viewer," Charlene said casually. I shivered at the thought. I hated the unpredictable, especially if it resulted in my death.

"I'm hungry," Lois groaned.

"We all are," I said annoyed. I was sick of Lois, Charlene scared me, and I wasn't on good terms with D'Artagnan. This was not good at all. If I was going to die, I wanted to die among friends. Apparently I couldn't even have the luxury of that.

"You do realize the kitchen is not just for your stomachs," Charlene glared as if we were the two biggest idiots she had ever seen.

"Why else would we need a kitchen?" I asked, I really wanted an omelet.

"The kitchen is going to be a prime spot for not just food, but for weapons," D'Artagnan said.

"Knives, graters, peelers, take your pick," Charlene said crossing her arms.

"I am so over this," Lois said rolling her eyes.

"Can we please just kill her now?" Charlene said turning to D'Artagnan. Lois' eyes widened with fear.

"Chill out, we're wasting energy," D'Artagnan said. Charlene took another icy glance at Lois and pressed on taking the lead in our dysfunctional little hunger games family.

The house seemed to go on and on with no sight of any kind of kitchen. The house was quite a spectacle though, some rooms completely normal, others quite bazaar. Two cannons went off, one right after the other. I hoped that would bring some more satisfaction to the people at home, I really didn't need random darts flying out of the walls piercing my head just so that there would be more additions to the death count.

"I want to know who is gone," Charlene said. Gone, what a light way to put it.

"Probably the fat girl," Lois said looking at her nails. I thought of Dradle. Poor thing, never had a chance. I couldn't help wondering if any of those cannons were caused by Cedric, clearly none of them were for Cedric. D'Artagnan studied my face, he was curious about what was on my mind. He didn't ask.

We were in a very plain lounge and Lois took the opportunity to sit down. We gave her a group stare of disapproval, "what? I'm fatigued ok?"

I could tell Charlene was about to say something back but we heard voices coming from the other room. It was a boy a girl arguing, "That's Nathanial," Charlene said. I wondered if Charlene had any attachment to him since he was a fellow yellow member and they had spent some decent time together.

"And the girl?" D'Artagnan asked.

"No idea," Charlene responded, "doesn't matter though. She'll be dead soon enough." I decided she would have no issue killing Nathanial after all.

I looked around at the other three faces, none seemed uncomfortable with the idea. From what we could tell there were only two of them so we clearly outnumbered them. This was the hunger games and I really had no right to protest otherwise. We moved together as one silent unit until we saw the them, their backs to us.

Charlene threw a scarf to me and another to Lois. I was impressed with the design of the pockets. They held tons but looked to be normal sized, an illusion that certainly came in handy. Me and Lois exchanged looks and understood what to do. I was hesitant though, it was terrible enough when Charlene was killing someone while I sat in the corner, now I was to contribute. We each pulled a 'Charlene' and startled the two by wrapping the scarves around their necks. Lois took Nathanial and I took the girl in red.

The girl struggled which caused me to struggle, I was already unsure of what I was doing and was afraid that she would get free. Lois however was much stronger than I had made her out to be and Nathanial was already starting to lose it. I was certain the red girl probably had a little bit of air circulation still.

The moment the girl broke free from my feeble attempt to choke, D'Artagnan grabbed her arm and twisted it. She screamed in pain. I flinched for a moment at this. D'Artagnan took a piece of broken glass out of his pocket and slit it across her throat smoothly and quickly not taking any second thoughts. a nice red line appeared and blood flowed down from it evenly like a slow waterfall of crimson. I began to gag. I had no intentions on seeing what Charlene had done to Nathanial at this point.

The girl lay their limp, eyes as if made of glass for there was no light in them anymore. The blood was eerily the same color as her hair and it continued to drain out of her along with the rose in her cheeks. I had helped kill this girl, well tried to anyways. Guilt hit me as I watched the girl vanish into nothing. Our deed was followed by two cannons.

"Bristol?" D'Artagnan whispered.

I was at a loss for words. I had seen Charlene do her thing to Marygold but this was more personal. I didn't even know this girl, but she had a family just like me. I wanted to go home. I wanted my parents. I wanted Cedric here. I wanted him to tell me about how this was all part of the game and how things were going to be ok.

"Dude, she doesn't look so good," Charlene said.

"If she pukes-"

"Lois," D'Artagnan hissed coldly.

"We should get moving," Charlene said.

I felt bad at this point in time. I was clearly now the weakest link. I knew I would not be killed first in our group when it came down to us turning on one another because of Cedric, but that just made me feel more guilty at this point. I would be the one everyone would want to kill first but couldn't. Whoever dies first wouldn't have deserved to die first because I should have. This kind of thinking probably isn't healthy for my self esteem, but at this point that is the least of my concerns. So sucking it up, or acting like I was, I pressed on with my compadres.

"Bristol are you really ok?" D'Artagnan whispered to me. I kept my eyes low and gave a barely noticeable nod, "they're not people, remember what Johanna said? I know it's hard but you have to get used to it."

I was tired of D'Artagnan and his kindness and comforting ways. I moved front with Charlene. We walked in silence until we heard a crash and the sound of a struggle. We all paused for a moment because it was nearby.

"Plan?" Lois asked looking at Charlene. Charlene held her hand up in response letting us know we were not to move or speak. Moments after the groans had stopped another cannon was sounded. And then there were seventeen. Charlene gestured for us to follow.

All of us assuming another kill would be in the works and each made sure to give me a glare. D'Artagnan's was more reassuring but the girls' had more of a 'get over it' kind of look. I swallowed hard and tried to bring myself back to the cafeteria during training. The place where Cedric and I had talked, the place where I had officially decided no one was good. The time when I too had found myself in game mode. Things were just so different now that they were in front of me, now that I was living it.

We entered a room that appeared to be a study. A large bookshelf had been tipped over and several books were scattered across the floor. Pillows joined the books and the cushions on the couch were not sitting flat. It was clear there had been quite the fight and struggle. A large grandfather clock lay on the floor next to me which was no doubt the crash we had heard minutes before. I wondered if Charlene would take advantage of this and take another clock hand. No one seemed to be here but us. I looked at D'Artagnan who gave me a shrug.

"The victor isn't here," Charlene said looking around.

"Probably went down that hall if we're still interested," Lois said pointing to the entrance of a long hall.

"They could have gone into any one of the rooms coming off of the hall though, I say it's not worth it," said D'Artagnan.

"I agree," agreed Charlene, "I wonder who it was."

a familiar voice rang into our ears locating itself behind us, "Cedric Bellflower in the Study with the candlestick." We turned together to see my brother leaning against the doorway holding up a gold candlestick. He smiled cheekily.

"Cedric!" I ran to my brother and wrapped my arms around him.


	11. Chapter 11 Getting the Band Together

Chapter 11

Getting the Band Together

It was so satisfying knowing that Cedric was here now. I wasn't sure if I could stand being in this place without him for too much longer. Lois didn't look to pleased but I knew her feeling towards him. Charlene looked semi pleased to see him and D'Artagnan smiled his perfect smile which made my stomach flip. Curse you D'Artagnan with your stupid smile.

"Glad to see you're all together!" Cedric said releasing me from our hug, "get any kills? There have been seven already."

"Three are ours," Charlene said proudly.

"Impressive, that was my first so I guess I have some making up to do," Cedric replied. I wasn't sure how I felt, he was very casual about this.

"Who did you take down?" Charlene asked.

"Cyrus."

"Who's he?" I asked.

"Purple kid. Anyways who did you eliminate?"

"Marygold, Nathanial, and some red haired girl," Lois replied in her usually stuck up fashion.

"Alright, and what's the plan now? Did you have one?" Cedric asked looking from one of us to another.

"We were going for the kitchen," D'Artagnan answered. Cedric took a moment to think and then nodded agreeing with our decision, "have you passed it at all?"

"No, I haven't seen it. I got to think that something is going to happen soon though. We've only been up five hours and there have been only seven deaths. I mean day one is supposed to eliminate about half of us, leaving the best to duke it out for the next week or so. They're gonna try to move us together."

"Still hungry," Lois piped in.

"Yeah, we know," I said. I was hungry too of course. I was used to my breakfast every morning but I didn't want to be compared to Lois at this point, it was best for her to be the target in our group now, "so what about Migquel, I heard you wanted him."

"I do. I don't know where he is though, honestly I'm shocked at how easily we all found each other considering how few people I've seen so far," Cedric said.

Another cannon sounded. Eight dead. Wee. We started walking aimlessly hoping that the kitchen would bump into us. My stomach growled. I sighed and thought of home. Thought of home again, "ok so what if we don't find the kitchen any time soon?" I said, "are we just going to keep walking and pick off as many as we can while we do so?"

"Basically," Charlene said looking to Cedric just to make sure he agreed. He nodded so turned back to me, "not like there is anything else to do."

Suddenly an alarm went off similar to the one we'd hear a few times a year at school when we did fire drills. We all looked at each and for the first time I didn't feel alone. Everyone looked just as terrified as me. We heard a hissing sound and water started to squirt out of the sprinklers on the ceiling. One started blasting right next to me, I jumped out of the way bumping into D'Artagnan who grabbed my arms to hold me back. Water hit Lois and she shrieked.

"Holly shit what is that!" The water had burned right through her jacket and her arm began to ooze blisters, "Oh my freakin' God!" more water started to go off and we ran, quickly dodging water whenever it went off.

"Is this the kind of thing you were expecting?" I yelled at Cedric trying to outdo the loud blasts of water.

"Something along the lines of this!"

We continued to dash through rooms, Charlene got splashed on the shoulder and she shrieked in pain. We ended in a large music room when the alarms went off. Most of us collapsed onto the floor. Reality check, we were all still out of shape. Charlene and Lois took their jackets off and stood there in their tank tops. The burns looked nasty.

"Shit," Charlene said looking at her shoulder, "what do we do about this?"

It took us a moment to realize we were not alone in the room. A few others had managed to get into this room for safety. Cedric was right about them trying to get us together. None of us wanted to fight at the moment though. Quiet little Tobias had blisters all over his right side oozing. Rockwelled, a girl with long orange hair who too had gotten hit bad with the burning liquid, Phoenix, thankfully Migquel, and the dreaded Topaz also graced our presence. I secretly had hoped Topaz had died already. Migquel's left hand was also burned.

Another cannon blasted. My bets were that someone had fallen victim to the water. Well maybe not water, I was skeptical on what the liquid actually was. There was a pause as the eleven of us exchanged looks. We were all out of breath and some of us in major pain. We were all waiting for someone to make the first move. I looked to Cedric, he was eyeing poor Tobias. He was also eyeing the violin bow a few feet from him. the tip was abnormally pointed. My mother played Violin so I knew this one was made to kill, not to be played.

I recalled Cedric's knack from spear throwing and knew that he was now thinking this bow looked awfully similar. No one had budged yet so Cedric decided to change that. It was only moments before he took the bow and threw it at Tobias since he was clearly the weakest one in the room. It missed his heart but it was clear he was a goner anyways.

Phoenix grabbed a French Horn and threw it at Cedric and it knocked him down. D'Artagnan jumped on Phoenix and began to repeatedly punch him in the face giving him a bloody nose. I decided that standing in the corner would not only be best for me but for everyone else as well. Charlene and Lois tag teamed and took on Rockwelled. Migquel was now on our side and followed Cedric by grabbing a Cello's bow and shoving it into the orange girl's neck with as much force as he could. She didn't have much fight in her and took her death happily.

Topaz was in the corner opposite of me hiding behind a piano, I wanted to judge her for this but seeing as I was in the same position I decided against it. I was trying to figure out though why she hadn't just fled the room.

Phoenix was knocked out and D'Artagnan took his chance to pierce his heart. Three cannons went off as Phoenix, the orange girl, and Tobias vanished. Charlene and Lois struggled with Rockwelled but as Charlene jumped on his back she slit his throat with her clock hand. It wasn't enough to kill him though but he was clearly in great pain. He fell to his knees and Cedric went over and finished what they had started. Another cannon.

We had just killed four people and we had done it in an impressive time too. I tried very hard to just 'get over it' but it was still very difficult. Lois and Charlene seemed to be in even more pain after using their joints and limbs that were burned. I felt bad for them. The good news though was that many more had just died and I figured the game makers might lay off for a little while.

"Ok, screw food, what can we do about these burns?" Lois said staring at her disgusting arm.

"There were herbs we learned about at that one station that were supposed to help. There was a garden in the back yard, maybe there is some growing there?" Cedric said cringing at the sight of the girl's skin.

"I know where the back door is," we all turned to look at Topaz. We had all forgotten about her. I exchanged glances with Cedric, did we want to take her on?

"Ok, perfect," Cedric said in his very charming way, "take the lead."

"Have you not found Dorothy?" I asked.

Topaz stopped, "the water got the best of her," she whispered.

"Oh," I felt bad for asking.

"It's alright," she shook off the emotion and continued walking, "It's not far from here actually."

"Perfect! I'm not much use if my shoulder gets worse," Charlene said.

"Looks like we'll be traveling with seven," D'Artagnan murmured. I looked at him letting him know I was no more thrilled than he. Migquel had yet to say anything, the reason why he was with us still confused me. I'd made a note to ask Cedric when I had the chance.

"You haven't found the kitchen yet have you?" I asked.

"No," Topaz responded, "but I sure am hungry!"


	12. Chapter 12 Through the Glass Door

Chapter 12

Through the Glass Door

Topaz's constant looks towards me with her purposefully shy flirty smile were not appreciated. Bristol kept giving me mocking looks which I had no problem rebutting with my own snarky face.

"Topaz, see any kills?" Charlene asked rubbing the area around her shoulder making sure not to actually touch any of the blisters.

"I committed one," Topaz said with a flip of her hair, "Some purple boy."

"What did you do? Sleep with him and give him AIDS?" Lois asked. Bristol and D'Artagnan turned away clearly to hide their laughter. Charlene was not that considerate and burst into a shriek of laughter. Luckily I was able to control myself and keep a straight face. I had to hand it to Lois, it was probably the best thing I had heard all day. It kinda reminded me of something Johanna would say and it was kind of a turn on. This was weird for me. Lois had become temporarily sexually appealing. She did have a killer body. This was now extremely weird for me.

Charlene slipped Lois a small low five. Topaz stood there unsure of what to say or do, "should we press on?" I suggested gesturing ahead of us.

"Yes," Topaz said looking at me blushing, "I didn't sleep with him," she whispered in my ear before taking lead again, "but it doesn't mean I'm not willing to with someone else." Ok awkward. I gave her an awkward quick smile and turned away, my eyes widening in disbelief that she had actually gone there. I peeked at Bristol but she hadn't heard, thank god. I would never hear the end of that one if she had.

"Watch there not be magic healing herbs in the garden," Lois groaned, "is it starting to sting more for either of you?" Lois asked turning to Charlene and Migquel.

"It hurts like hell," Charlene said agreeing. Migquel nodded silently.

"If not I'm sure Johanna will send us something, I'm sure we have followers. I bet Johanna got us quite a few sponsors," I said smiling. Johanna, now there's a girl I'd get in bed with.

"Congrads Cedric," Bristol said raising her eyebrows, "you've managed to go this long without mentioning her. Is that a new record?"

"She is hot," D'Artagnan admitted.

"Thank you!" I responded whacking him on the back. I liked that guy. We'd bonded over the week and I would definitely call him my best friend in the game. Well other than Bristol of course. He understood the games. He clearly didn't know all the nitty gritty details like I did, but he came into this as prepared as he possibly could be.

He had a little sister and brother at home and worried for them just like I worried for Bristol. Of course he didn't have to worry about them dying, but he worried about dying and leaving them behind. His parents weren't involved and if he didn't come back home he had no idea what would happen to them. He was brave, humble, and very poised and had accepted his likely death honorably. His only regret would be his siblings, his life truly meant nothing to him.

"Johanna," Topaz hmphed, "nothing that great about her."

At this point I wanted to punch her, but due to the unwritten law of boys not being able to hit girls I held back my desires to do so. I wanted to keep my dignity intact, plus no one at home wants to see me punching a girl. Maybe I could get Bristol to slap her later. A cat fight would get good attention. Plus cat fights are generally hot and boys at home would get their parents to sponsor us. Bristol could use some practice at hands on combat anyways.

"Ok right here," Topaz leaded us to a giant glass door. The knob was much higher than any of us could reach. Flashes of Alice in Wonderland came to my mind. I couldn't really get into that story, Bristol liked it though. Just a little to bazaar for my taste. Then again The Metamorphosis was about a man who turned into a giant bug and I loved that.

"Do you have a cake?" Bristol whispered to me. I knew she was thinking like Lewis Carroll as well as I.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Lois said staring up at the door, "is there any other door out?"

"If there is it would mean we'd have to find it, and you know how good we are at finding things," Charlene said raising an eyebrow at Lois.

"There has to be a way to get out otherwise there would be no point in the door," D'Artagnan said looking it up and down trying to figure out exactly what we had to do to get on the other side.

"It's glass, maybe we have to break through it?" Charlene suggested now pulling faces due to the pain in her shoulder.

"Then what is the point of the knob?" D'Artagnan pointed out.

"Bristol, see if you get on my shoulders you can reach it," I suggested.

"Oh don't say that word!" Charlene cringed.

"What? Shoulder?" I said seeing how far I could push Charlene's limits.

"I hate you!"

"Wow hurtful," I said light heartedly.

Charlene, I could tell, struggled to not say what she was thinking, "just get Bristol up there," She finally said.

"Is that ok with you Bristol?" I asked looking at my sister. She shrugged. I knelt down and she got on. She wrapped her feet around my neck obviously fearful of falling. D'Artagnan reached his arms up with his fingers pressed against her back so she knew that he was there to catch her if needed. She glanced down on him clearly feeling awkward. She nodded with thanks anyways.

I wondered what exactly happened between the two of them. There had to be some back story because they did have tense awkward vibes coming off of each other. However, at the same time there was always a form of subtle strange fondness or attraction. Something probably only I had picked up on. I would make sure to figure that out later. Bristol wouldn't talk about it if there was anything, she'd be embarrassed. She was always weird around boys in general. Me and D'Artagnan had enough heart to hearts during our training week after the girls had gone to bed for me to feel comfortable enough to ask him.

"Got it Bristol?" I asked.

"Yeah I think so," she stretched her back bone as much as she could as she extended her fingers and arms up. she dropped it a moment to catch her balance and then tried for it again.

"Ok any day now!" Lois said impatiently.

"I can do it," Topaz said touching my lower bicep. I looked at her a moment not entirely sure what to say.

"Let's let Bristol try it a bit more," I said. I was hoping this would encourage Bristol to get a move on because I really didn't want to have to give Topaz a turn on my shoulders.

Bristol grabbed it and turned it. She laughed in her victory, "I got it guys!" she almost sang. I was happy for her, I had a feeling she had felt pretty useless up until this point. I decided to experiment a bit and leaned her back for D'Artagnan to catch and help down. She shrieked a moment not knowing what I was doing. D'Artagnan's reflexes took her immediately. They exchanged another awkward glance.

"Ok not cool Ced," she said looking at me. I laughed. Migquel slipped his good hand in the crack that was now open and pushed it wide for all of us to get through.

"Glad I could get you all here," Topaz said.

"Glad Bristol could open the door," I said making sure Topaz did not get all the glory. Topaz gave a nervous laugh and moved outside.

"Ok, where is the freakin' garden," Lois said. Her eyes were a little bit watery now. I looked at her arm and it was definitely worse now. Soon I found my eyes, unexpectedly, moving up towards the cleavage that was now showing from the tank top. I paused there for a moment enjoying the sight until I remembered it was Lois and how much I hated her.

"Someone should stay by the door and keep it open," Bristol said, "I'm not getting on anyone's shoulders again to open that stupid door."

"Ok enough with that word!" Charlene said clearly in great pain at this point.

"I will," D'Artagnan responded, "I can take down anyone who might come this way and I don't need any burn herbs."

"Good idea," I said to him and Bristol.

We walked out in the yard and I was glad to take it all in for a moment. The hedge maze was impressive but I knew it was a good place to hide, there were a lot of good places to hide here. I didn't know if anyone had even gone outside yet but I didn't want to take any chances. I made sure that D'Artagnan was always in my line of vision just in case he needed reinforcement.

The garden was not far out and I immediately began searching. I sighed in relief when the herbs were right in the middle all beautifully waiting for me to pick.

"What are you waiting for!" Charlene yelled.

"It's too easy," I said.

"Oh come on sometimes things are that easy! Just pick it!" Charlene looked about ready to kill someone. I knew taking risks were part of this game, so I looked around and plucked a handful. I waited a moment in anticipation but nothing happened.

"Ok, you need to tie this onto the burns, do you guys have anything?" I asked.

"I have some scarves in my pockets. Can someone else get them? It hurts to move."

Bristol took initiative and dug her hand into Charlene's pocket and grabbed them. She only had two and we needed three. Bristol then also pulled out a clock's minute hand and ripped one scarf in half. I was impressed with my sister and smiled. Yup that one is mine, so proud, oh so proud. She then continued to tie them around the burns tightly.

"Oh god!" Lois said when the herbs touched her arm.

"Sorry," Bristol said.

"Usually when it stings it means it's working," I said.

"Or it's going to get infected," she said angrily.

"It won't it's the right plant," Bristol said, "right Cedric?"

I nodded. I was certain it was. I looked up at the sky, I figured it was passed noon by the sun's placement, but I really couldn't say for sure. I just knew that when I went tanning you wanted the sun not so far over, so it had to be past prime bronzing time. I noticed there were some vegetables growing as well. I picked some of them and handed them out.

"I recall you all being hungry?"

"Eww, it's still got dirt on it," Lois said sticking her tongue out.

"Could be worse," Charlene said shrugging. Bristol shoved the big tomato into her mouth immediately. The rest of us followed. It did taste like ground but I wasn't sure if we would be finding the kitchen today or not. We headed back to D'Artagnan. I handed him a large carrot.

"Thanks man," he said taking it without any complaints.

"You're turn to lead," Topaz said to me suggestively. Taking lead did sound satisfying, but boy did I not want Topaz following behind.


	13. Chapter 13 Whispers in the Night

Hey sorry to not inform that I was switching to Cedric's POV I thought I made it obvious early on but apparently not! I'm continuing with Cedric again this chapter but will switch to Bristol again in chapter 14! Sorry for the confusion! Sorry I haven't updated in a while as well, it's summer and I've gotten busy quite recently! And thanks so much to those who have commented it means a ton!

Chapter 13

Whispers in the Night

I led our group in circles, although to my defense they all took turns giving input on which way we should go. No more cannons were sounded that day. I had a feeling people were not in the mood to kill anymore. Tomorrow would be a different story. The day seemed to end quickly though. Each hour was quicker than the last. We never did find the blasted kitchen. We found a small room to turn in for the night. We didn't feel the need to go back upstairs and find our rooms again, we didn't want to split up and risk losing one of us.

"We should take turns keeping watch," I said. Everyone was dreary eyed at this point and just mumbled in agreement, "anyone want to go first or should I?"

"I'd like to get it over with if you don't mind," D'Artagnan said. I smiled at him. He was definitely my wing man in all of this. He walked over to the door and leaned against the wall.

"Hey D," I said, "head's up!" I threw him a poker from the fire place.

"Thanks," he said catching it.

"How's your burns?" Bristol asked the two other girls.

"It's numb now," Charlene said, "annoying but better than pain."

Charlene and Lois ended up curling up together. This was weird to me, I didn't see them as buddies. Migquel curled up in the fetal position in the corner and began snoring with in an instant. Bristol laid down next to me. She turned to me propping her head up.

"Go to sleep," I whispered to her.

"I don't feel like it," she whispered back. I frowned in confusion, "today was a crazy day."

"It's so surreal isn't it?"I responded, "exciting, adrenalin at all times!"

"You are insane," she whispered back disapprovingly, "I have seen things today that I never wanted to."

"It's the same as watching on TV."

"No it's not. It's so much worse. We are so evil. We made these kids do this every year and we watched it not giving any care at all."

"Bristol. . ."

"Don't Bristol me, you know I'm right!"

I rolled on to my back. I reran the day through my mind. It could have been worse. I listened to the heavy breathing of the others in the room.

"Why Migquel?" Bristol finally said.

"huh?"

"Why did you pick Migquel? He hasn't said anything this whole time and I don't see any purpose of him. There were other guys who should have been picked before him. Come on there has to be a story behind that."

I had hoped no one would bring this up. Migquel was clearly not up to par with any of us, not even Bristol. The flash back came to me suddenly. I was not supposed to know what I knew about him. I didn't want to keep anything from Bristol, she had every right to know what I knew. She was my team mate, my buddy, my sister. I knew we could easily be put on TV, even if not, someone was bound to hear. If I told her, bad things would happen.

"I made an agreement with him," I finally said. This was not a lie, but not a satisfying answer all the same. Bristol stared at me trying to read my face. She knew I was holding back and I think it hurt her. There was so much I wanted to tell her. Not being able to tell hurt, and knowing it hurt her made me feel even worse.

"I recall agreeing to trust you," Bristol responded after a bit, "I'm going to keep that agreement, but I hope I don't regret it."

"And I recall promising you that I would keep you safe and alive," I replied, "and so you're going to have to trust me that I'm doing that right now."

Bristol just nodded. Troubled thoughts raced across her face. I wanted to erase them so badly but for one of the first times in my life, I had nothing to say. I could feel her anxiously waiting for my comforting words but 'everything will be fine' would be deceit. I didn't know things would be ok. I could only give her a half smile hoping that would satisfy. It didn't. Bristol got over it anyways.

"So you and Topaz," she finally said.

"Oh dear lord!" I said rolling again onto my back. She gave a muffled laugh.

"She's pretty," Bristol said edging me on further.

"She also has no brain and is the biggest slut in the game."

"Oh I'm sure you could get past some of those things," Bristol said smirking. I rolled my eyes at her. Women.

"I think you should probably try and sleep now," I said. Bristol's eyes were droopy. She was trying to fight it but I didn't want her to, "come on, you need your rest."

Bristol gave a groan that was interrupted by a yawn. She gave a half a second fit and turned away from me. Her breaths became slow and heavy, I knew that she was now asleep. I tried to follow her but my instincts wouldn't let me. I felt like I had to be on my guard. It seemed so hypocritical to be telling Bristol she needed her strength when I did too but wouldn't fall asleep.

I may have drifted off for a few increments of five to fifteen minutes but nothing long enough to make my body feel rested. I heard a chime. An hour had now passed. I looked up at D'Artagnan, he was still wide awake. I wasn't sure if I should let him continue to keep watch or trade off. Charlene suddenly sat up eyes wide panting. A nightmare no doubt. She looked around and saw me staring at her. She was embarrassed clearly. She didn't want me to think that a nightmare was going to scare her off.

"Just thought I'd take my shift now," she whispered to me. I gestured to D'Artagnan letting her know it was all hers. She nodded and got up. D'Artagnan gave her the poker after a few exchanges of words.

D'Artagnan sat down next to me. I sat up too, "you gonna sleep?" I asked him.

"Are you?" he asked.

point taken.

"How are you feeling about all of this?" I asked him.

"I don't know. You can't feel about it. Once you feel about it something will go wrong. If you're scared of it you're going to be taken down by someone easily. If you are angry about it you're going to make some stupid move that will take your life. If you accept it you could go mad in the end and die as someone you never wanted to be. You can't feel."

I thought about D'Artagnan's response. I wasn't sure if I totally agreed but I admired his thinking all the same. His skin glowed hauntingly in the moonlight coming from the small window near the ceiling. The soft silver tint on his skin radiated. I wished I could read his thoughts. There were a few things I knew I would never know if I didn't ask.

"What's going on with you and my sister?" I asked after a while. This caught the moonlit boy of guard.

"You're sister? Bristol?"

"I don't have any other sister now do I?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because I see something going on and there is no way Bristol is going to tell me anything. Come on you might not feel anything for the game but I can guarantee you have some sort of feeling for her," I glared at him letting him know I wasn't going to back down on this.

"Bristol made it clear that she didn't want to be friends so we're not," he said quickly.

"And this bothers you doesn't it?" I suddenly felt like a thirteen year old girl pestering my best friend about her current crush. This was a little embarrassing.

"She's different you know? She's unpredictable, but yet you know she'll always be there. She's very loyal. She's totally dependent yet at the same time she is very independent when it comes to how she views things or thinks. She's trying to keep her sanity more than anyone else I've seen so far in this game. She's not afraid to be herself, and she's beautiful. I guess this isn't news to you though," he said looking away from me. I wondered if he was trying to hide a blush. Maybe he felt like a thirteen year old girl too.

"She probably feels the same about you then," I said back.

"I doubt it."

"She wouldn't put in the effort to push herself away from you if she didn't. She doesn't want to get close to you because she knows one of you or both are going to die. She doesn't want any more hurt than she knows she'll already have to suffer."

D'Artagnan still wouldn't look at me.

"And things wouldn't be so awkward between you either if she didn't. You shouldn't feel ashamed of it. I'm afraid I might have developed a thing for, well, someone else too," I looked over at Lois. I hated that bitch, why did I suddenly find her so attractive and appealing?

"Oh?" D'Artagnan turned his head back to me intrigued, "please tell me it's not-"

"It's not Topaz," I said quickly.

"Thank god," D'Artagnan smiled giving a quiet chuckle, "so, Lois huh?"

"What?"

"You're like a kindergartener. Picking on the girl you like."

"In all fairness I still hate her," I said.

"Love hate relationships, those don't really last do they?"

"That's good because it can't last." We sat there quietly. I think we both felt awkward. I wanted to change the subject but D'Artagnan did it for me.

"Migquel, not my first choice," He said looking at me from the corner of his eye.

"It's complicated."

"I figured that much," he studied my face, "I see how it is."

"I'd tell you if I could."

"Would you? Or are you really in game mode? At the end of the day does Lois or me, or any of the others matter? Other than maybe Bristol, none of us matter to you. You need Migquel for reasons that only bring you your own personal gain. You're not going to even tell Bristol. You think it's for her own good or some sort of shit, but look deep inside you. Would you tell her if you could?"

"Who the fuck are you to question me and Bristol's relationship?" I glared at him pissed, "I'd tell her everything if I could but I sure as hell wouldn't tell you anything!"

"I just hope you know what you're doing. Sometimes the weakest most clueless people win the game, don't lose yourself in this. It's not worth it."

I gave one more look at D'Artagnan and turned away from him, "goodnight D'Artagnan."

"Good night Cedric," he replied flatly. And we both laid there silently, neither of us intending to sleep.


	14. Chapter 14 Empty Chairs at Empty Tables

Once again, as I said in my last chapter, I am switching back to Bristol's POV, ok cool stuff! And once again thank you so much for anyone who has commented, it means a ton!

Chapter 14

Empty Chairs at Empty Tables

We sat on Mom and Dad's bed eagerly awaiting what Dad had in store for us that night. We had finished How to Kill a Mockingbird the night before. Dad then burned it like he always did. It was always so sad to watch the words disappear while the pages curl slightly as they brown into ash. Dad always reminded us that if we were found to have any of these books we would be in big trouble. We feared the day Dad would run out of books to read. Then what would we do?

"All right kiddos are your teeth brushed?" Dad asked coming into the room seeing me and Cedric giddy as ever waiting for him.

"Of course they are dad!" Cedric said as if our father was stupid, "you won't read to us if we haven't!"

"Dad this book better be good. I didn't like the last one," I thought How to Kill a Mockingbird was a very dull book with very dull and annoying characters. Boo Radley was such a disappointment. The whole book built up into nothing. At least it was better than Of Mice and Men that was a horrible book with not even the slightest bit of excitement.

"You didn't like Scout and Jem? I think they're a lot like you and Cedric," Dad said smiling.

"I am not like Jem!" Cedric said, "if anything I'm like Dill, and even that's a stretch!"

"And I'm not like Scout either," I said frowning.

"Ok well you two aren't going to like all the books I read to you I suppose. This one we start tonight will be a good one though!" Dad was still hiding the book behind his back.

"Come one Dad just show us already!" Cedric said bouncing up and down on Mom and Dad's water bed.

"Alright, tonight we start Robinson Crusoe it's a story about a man who gets castaway to an island!"

"Well islands are good fun!" I said, "there are beaches and bungalows!"

"Not on this island there aren't! This island has all sorts of dangerous things," Dad said spookily.

"What sort of dangerous things!" Cedric asked wide eyed.

"Well I suppose we'll have to read the book to find out won't we?"

"Ok!" Me and Cedric said cheerfully.

"The first chapter is called 'Robinson Crusoe at Home'" Dad began, "When I was a little boy, I lived in a great city by the sea with my mother and father."

Our father read to us for an hour until it was time for us to go to bed. We pleaded for him to read more but just like every other night he made us go to bed. Mom would take our hands and lead us to our rooms. She always sat quietly in the chair listening to the stories as well. She enjoyed them just as much as we did, even if she wouldn't admit it.

We were seven years old when our father started reading us Robinson Crusoe that night.

Dad began Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde a few nights earlier. Mom was afraid it would be to scary for us considering how terrified we had been when Dad had read us Dracula the year before. Dad assured her that this book would not scare ten year olds. Mom was skeptical and said that if she found it too scary she would end the book early. Me and Cedric knew this wouldn't be the case however scary it got. Mom would want to know how it ends. She could of course read it herself but it wasn't the same as Dad doing all the voices when he read us the story aloud.

"That's the wrong voice Dad," I said interrupting that evening's reading.

"What do you mean?" Dad asked looking up from the pages.

"Bristol's right Dad," Cedric said, "That's not Dr. Jekyll's voice, it's Dr. Layon's voice."

"They're quite right dear," Mom's voice piped in, "Dr. Layon has the low Scottish accent, Dr. Jekyll has the British one." We laughed at our Dad's silly mistake. He smiled at us maybe feeling a little embarrassed. It was hard for me to imagine us making Dad embarrassed, he was so tall and strong, it seemed like nothing could shake him.

"Alright are your teeth brushed?" Dad asked. I was painting my toenails hardly looking up. The lady at the nail salon had given me the wrong shade of pink and I now had to go over it by myself. Cedric just gave an "mmhhmm" responding for both of us with very little enthusiasm.

"Ok so we left off with Bella realizing Edward is a vampire!"

"Yeah, Dad, this is kind of the worst book ever written," I piped in, "Bella has no dimensions and quite frankly I have no attachment to her. If you don't care for the characters then the book is pointless. It's like Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights which is funny because Bella likes that book."

"You guys are thirteen, this book was big for thirteen year olds back when this came out!"

"I swear half of this book is about the weather," Cedric added, "yeah ok Forks is dreary and depressing much like Bella Swan's personality."

"Well why didn't you guys say anything up until now? We could have started another book."

"I thought it would get better," I said, "it didn't."

"Ok, well I thought we'd read Nicholas Nickleby next, should we move on to that one?"

"Yeah sure what ever," Cedric said feeling his face again hoping to find some form of facial hair growing.

"You didn't have facial hair two minutes ago why would you have it now?" I said glaring at Cedric.

"Shut up Bristol! You're the only girl in your class who doesn't wear a bra!"

"I think it's time you go to bed," Mom said standing up. We didn't want to cross mom so we went off to our rooms.

We went into our parents room that night for the first time in several weeks. Being a junior in high school often meant a lot of homework and our own books to read that were dull and mostly about The Capitol. Dad had been reading us 1984. Dad said it was the most dangerous book he could be found with. Mom had wanted him to get rid of it years ago but he said he had to read it to me and Cedric. Now that we were sixteen we were old enough to hear it. I still didn't know why this book was any worse than the other books he had read us. Weren't they all illegal?

Dad never told us the reason why this one was so bad. He said we'd understand someday. Sometimes when he read it, it seemed like he was worried Big Brother was real and was really watching him.

"If it's that much trouble why bother reading it to us?" I asked.

"Sometimes the best education is what's in fiction, and not in your history books."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Cedric asked.

"You'll understand someday," responded Dad. Always his response.

We never heard another story from Dad. 1984 was the last one. We were now too old for stories. Me and Cedric had friends to hang out with at night or even more homework than usual. Dad had read us hundreds of books. It wasn't cool anymore. Hanging with our parents wasn't cool. It wasn't cool.

Migquel shook me awake. It was my time to watch. My dream of home had shaken me. Right I was in The Hunger Games, it was my time to keep watch to make sure that no one came and murdered us in our sleep. So I took the poker and stood by the door. I wiped a tear from my cheek. Why did I ever think it wasn't cool to hang out with my parents? Why wasn't it cool to listen to my dad read us stories every night? Right now that sounded like the coolest thing ever.

I was about to lose my parents forever. I would never hear dad do his quirky Willy Wonka voice, or his grumpy Scrooge voice, or his falsetto voice that he used for every female character in every book, and I'd never hear him ask us if we had brushed our teeth again. Why did teenagers rebel against their parents? I would do anything to go back home and beg my father to read me something, I would listen with all the attention in the world. I would hang on to every word of every sentence!

I thought of my house right now. Were my parents still up watching the screen? How quiet was the house? Did they wonder if the empty beds would ever have sleeping children in them again? All the empty chairs at the empty table. They might never be filled again, and I couldn't even give them the slightest bit of attention for an hour a night. Here I was and they were home.

I wiped a tear from my face. Suddenly I felt rage, and I was ready to act on it.


	15. Chapter 15 Ripples in the Water

Chapter 15

Ripples in the Water

What I was sure to be an artificial sun screamed morning. Lois and Migquel had to be shaken awake proving that the game makers were no longer responsible for that aspect of the game. This meant that others could still be asleep making them vulnerable for early deaths. My stomach howled, one dirty tomato eaten the day before wasn't cutting it. I didn't smell good either. So this is how tributes from the districts felt, not just in the games, but every day. I could feel their mocking eyes on me. Watching their screens at home feeling sweet revenge in every way.

Among the hunger, the smell, and the mocking eyes, the worst part had to be the fact that I only had one pair of underwear. So nasty. I looked at Cedric and gave him a half hearted smile. He didn't return my gesture but I didn't let it shake me. It was uncharacteristic of him, true, but waking up on the wrong side of the bed happens to all of us. This may have been Cedric's first time though. . .

"Cedric, I think it's best to lay low and not waste time hunting down tributes. We need to get to the kitchen, I don't know if the group can make it much longer without food," I saw Charlene say in a semi hushed voice to Cedric. She took a glance at all of us and then turned back to Cedric looking for his answer. It was like they were the mother and father of our group, trying to figure out how to satisfy their kids.

"It's still early though, if we find anyone sleeping they're easy to take out," Cedric responded. Clearly he had similar thinking as I.

"Yes, they're sleeping, thus giving us a head start with no trouble. No one in our way, think of the group!" Charlene said not as hushed as before.

"The group is more safe if there are less people around!"

Everyone's attention was now on Cedric and Charlene. We were like sheep, we'd follow our shepherds anywhere without any thought. If we had no shepherd we were kind of screwed.

"Come on Ced, Charlene is right," D'Artagnan piped in.

"Why are you taking her side?" Cedric asked.

"I'm not taking sides!" D'Artagnan said, "I just think that as a group we should each have input and that's mine."

"Come on Cedric," I said calmly, "we're all hungry. Not to mention the fact that there are weapons in there that we don't want other's getting a hold of. Who knows other's could have already beaten us there. Arguing is just a waste of time."

Cedric looked at me. I thought he was about to snap at me too but his face slowly softened. He nodded at me, and then nodded at the others, "ok."

Charlene turned away annoyed but tried hard to keep her blood from boiling. I could tell D'Artagnan felt bad about what had just happened as he exchanged a glance with Cedric. Lois was still quiet because she was not fully awake. Migquel was always quiet.

"I think you were right," Topaz said to my brother. He said nothing in return. She looked uncomfortable but then hid it with a cheesy smile.

"We can't back track, everyone has to try and remember if we've been in an area before or if we've turned a certain direction. We have to go new places to find the kitchen," Charlene said not bothering to look at us because she was certainly on a mission. Cedric was close behind but I could feel his unease, uncertainty, and disapproval from the way he tensed his shoulders. I bit my bottom lip, I had ultimately persuaded Cedric to follow Charlene's orders. What if Cedric's plan had been the right one, I know I would feel like it was my fault if that was proven so.

We walked into a completely white circular room. There was no furniture or windows. It was also an annoying dead end.

"How do you occupy a dumb blond for hours?" Cedric asked.

"How?" Topaz asked a little to eagerly.

"Ask her to find the corner of this room."

Topaz laughed loudly at Cedric's very poor joke.

"Was that supposed to be aimed at me?" Charlene snapped at Cedric whipping around to face him.

"Last time I checked your hair was yellow, not blond. Although, if you want to volunteer by suggesting that it's blond and making the joke on you then go for it," Cedric responded.

"Dick," Lois said under her breath. I looked at Lois and the memory of Cedric calling her a bitch at dinner ran across my mind. I remember sticking up for Lois several times during this process due to Cedric's words. I had never really considered how rude he sometimes could be. He was always my hero. He was that perfect brother, son, and friend.

"If you want to keep your pretty face intact, "Charlene said stepping right up to Cedric, "then I suggest you keep your mouth shut."

Charlene was surprisingly calm which made her even more vicious. I remembered her first kill in that circus room. She was so calm then too. I was surrounded by a bunch of nut heads. If we turned on each other now all hell would truly break loose. I wondered if the Game Makers were putting this on the air. I wondered if they would pick up on the new tension and try to make it worse. I prayed they would not.

We exited the circle room. No one looked at each.

"We've been here before," D'Artagnan said, "but we took a right, we need to take the left."

"Are you sure?" Charlene asked, "I mean I trust you but just to be certain?"

"Yes, I'm positive. That door leads to the craft room. Where we got the sharp scissors and the large bolts of fabric fell on Candice."

I remembered the craft room well. We had grabbed some sharp scissors meant to cut through anything. They were an excellent find, Charlene was especially fond of them. Oh Charlene and sharp things. . . Candice, the other yellow girl, had come in right when we were about to leave. A bunch of bolts of heavy fabric 'accidently' started rolling off the high shelves. They landed on Candice's legs and back and she was pinned down. Charlene was all too eager to try out her new scissors on Candice but something stopped her when she looked into Candice's big green eyes. I wondered if she had bonded with Candice during the training week and lost her nerve. We figured Candice was stuck there and wouldn't be going anywhere any time soon so we left her there.

That night when they showed all the faces of the deceased, Candice did not appear. She must have gotten away, or she was still there. Either way we didn't care. We headed left like D'Artagnan had directed. He was right because we ended up in a disgusting moldy locker room. One we certainly would have remembered if we had been there before.

"Oh my god," Lois said gagging, "where is the exit?" the smell was unbearable to be sure.

"Ok, my feet are touching the floor, eww," Topaz said. I hardly saw her point because she had nice, sturdy, and thick tennis shoes on that kept her actual feet safely away from the molding floor.

"Sorry, no one is going to be carrying you," Lois said, her voice was nasally due to her now pinched nose.

There were lockers everywhere that were like a maze for us to navigate to get out.

"This is possibly worse than the acid fire alarm stuff!" Charlene said.

We were all close to passing out when the lights flickered and turned off. There were a few shrieks, one of which was mine to be perfectly honest.

"Ok, don't panic," I heard Cedric's voice say.

"To late," D'Artagnan said obviously referencing me and the other screams.

"I don't want to die in a fuckin' locker room that smells like shit, sour milk, and something else that I do not want to know the name of!" Lois growled.

"I think it's a mix of body odor, and dead rodent," D'Artagnan said, "maybe sweat too?"

"Oh my god D'Artagnan shut up!" Lois shrieked reaching out to where she thought the voice came from. She slapped a face. The face was mine.

"I'm not D'Artagnan!" I yelled.

"Shhhh! Would you all shut the hell up!" Charlene's words pierced in the darkness and we were all silent, "Ok, like Cedric said, we have to stay calm ok? Can we quickly count off just to make sure all six of us are here?"

"Seven," Topaz corrected.

"Nobody cares. Ok count off, One!"

"Two."

"Three."

"Four."

"Five."

"Six."

We waited, "who hasn't spoken yet?" Charlene said, "who's seven?"

" D'Artagnan is here," D'Artagnan said.

"And Lois."

"Cedric."

"Bristol."

"Topaz."

"And Charlene," Charlene said, "Migquel?"

We waited but there was no reply.

"Migquel?" Charlene repeated with a hint of worry, "Migquel!"

"We have to find him!" Cedric said frantically.

There was a sudden dripping sound, then a slam of what sounded like one of the lockers.

"I don't think we're alone," I whispered.

"Do you think they took Migquel?" D'Artagnan asked.

"God why couldn't they have taken Topaz?" Lois complained.

"Oh that is it!" Topaz jumped on the body next to her, it was in fact Lois.

"Get the fuck off of me!" Lois said. I heard a struggle, "ha now you're pinned on the dirty floor!"

"Cut it out you two!" Cedric yelled.

suddenly the lights turned back on. The dripping was coming from a leaking shower head. I kind of wanted to take a shower now, but then I remembered we were in the grossest room ever to exist. I'd probably get even more dirty. We looked around at one another, we were clearly all shaken.

"We need to find Migquel," Cedric said.

"Cedric, it's not worth it, he could be anywhere," Charlene said.

There was a cannon, the first of the day.

"Or dead," Charlene whispered. Cedric turned away from us angrily. He pounded his fists against a locker.

"Cedric," I put my hand on his shoulder, "Cedric it's ok." Cedric brushed my hand off with a shoulder jerk.

I turned to the group who all looked just as puzzled as me. D'Artagnan swallowed hard. Did he know something? I had asked Cedric about Migquel last night but Cedric had said nothing. Had he told D'Artagnan? Did he trust D'Artagnan more than me? I didn't know, but I certainly hoped I wasn't losing Cedric.

"Let's go," Charlene said after a moment of awkward silence.

We walked through the lockers until we saw a door with a nasty handle.

"So not opening that door," Topaz said.

"Oh god you're such a pussy!" Lois said fearlessly opening the door. We hurried through the door glad to be out of that room. Then there was a moment of sudden disbelief. We had walked right into the kitchen.


	16. Chapter 16 Hell's Kitchen

Chapter 16

Hell's Kitchen

"Well that was easy," Charlene said looking around at the giant, sparkling clean kitchen. There was a long table that seated all twenty four of us.

"Oh sweet, fresh, beautiful air!" Lois panted.

Cedric was still quiet. Migquel's death was clearly troubling him. Why Migquel? What was so important about that silent awkward boy? My curiosity was cut short when I saw Lois running to the giant refrigerator. Sudden fear crept in to me. What would happen if she opened it?

"Lois stop right there!" I cautioned.

"Excuse me?" Lois turned to glare at me with disbelief and disgust. Good old Lois and her bitchy attitude.

"Seems a little generous to have a giant fridge right there with food for the taking don't you think?"

"Well I'd like to die with a full stomach if you don't mind!" with that Lois pulled open the giant doors using all her strength to do so. She shoved her face and arms in with much gluttony.

It only took us a second to realize the room had dropped many degrees. without thinking we all huddled together for warmth. Lois fell back not moving. D'Artagnan ran over and closed the doors reveling Lois completely. She was a shade of blue that complemented her hair. The blue she had complained about only days ago.

Her lashes and brows were frosted along with bits of her hair. She started to thaw and shivered tremendously. Her teeth chattered and she made slight whimpering sounds. D'Artagnan wrapped his jacket around her and then picked her up. he rubbed her hoping friction might warm her up.

I looked at our group wondering if love and concern would cross their faces as they watched Lois go through agonizing, freezing pain. There was no sign of this. The faces showed more of a curiosity, wondering and waiting for her to die. Their only thoughts were 'should we leave her here?' and 'should we just let her die?' Cedric showed a moment of regret, and then nothing.

What did I think? Did _I_ care? I think I did. I knew Lois would die at some point, but I guess I had hoped it'd be quick and painless. I wondered if it would be best to just end her life now. Take her out of her misery. Charlene had the same idea, but I don't think her motive was the same as mine.

"She'll just be a burden at this point," Charlene said. She was already going through drawers until she finally found a sharp Chef's knife. She looked at it with pure madness. True lust for the sharp large blade. This was definitely better than a pointy minute hand.

"Get a room!" Topaz said. Charlene growled at her like a wild animal.

"Charlene let's think about this for a moment," Cedric said walking over to Charlene cautiously.

"What's there to think about? You think D'Artagnan's just gonna carry her around? Come on she's a goner anyways!"

Lois began to cry and whine. I wondered if it was out of pain or out of fear for her life.

"And I'm not gonna let her moaning be my background music!"

"Shut up Charlene!"

"Shut up Bristol!"

"Make me!" for the first time I felt power and confidence.

Charlene lunged at me with the knife. D'Artagnan set Lois on the long table and grabbed Charlene by one of her long pigtails, stopping her inches before she got to me. Charlene shrieked.

"Touch her and I swear I will kill you!" I expected this reaction for Cedric, not D'Artagnan.

"Don't you fuckin' touch me!" Charlene screamed. I turned to see Cedric wrapping his jacket around Lois. Was he really more concerned about her than me?

I saw Topaz standing in the corner, quietly watching our group's unity fizzle. Why was she here? Why was she still with us? I turned back to Charlene and D'Artagnan. D'Artagnan had her pinned against the wall, causing Charlene to drop her newly prized possession. Upon seeing her knife fall she spat in D'Artagnan's face. D'Artagnan threw her down and kicked the chef's knife out of her reach. I picked it up and placed it in my pocket.

Charlene grabbed D'Artagnan's ankle and bit it. I couldn't believe this was happening. I went over to Cedric who was still by Lois, "what the heck is going on? Do something!"

"What do you want me to do Bristol?"

"I don't know! You're the mastermind!" I looked at Lois, she was looking worse, as if she was getting colder. Her shaking looked almost like a seizure, like some people had on those doctor dramas me and my mom would sometimes watch. I took out the chef's knife from my pocket. I looked at it a moment trying to decide. I offered it to Cedric.

"She's a goner Ced. It's not fair to let her die from being frozen."

"She's not going to die!" Cedric said angrily.

"She will eventually! Put her out of her misery!"

Cedric didn't have time to respond. Another tribute, a girl with short spiky red hair, walked in. She truly looked like shit, what had happened to her? D'Artagnan and Charlene stopped their fight to look at her. She didn't look scared walking in on all of us. I suddenly realized the blood she was covered in wasn't her own. A cannon sounded and she smiled at her victory.

"I see you've found the kitchen," she said looking at us. She then looked at Lois and raised her brows, "gluttony is a deadly sin. Didn't anyone ever tell her that?"

"What do you mean?" Cedric asked looking at her.

"Seven deadly sins. Gluttony is one of them. Blue over there gave in to it, guess she was punished. That fridge took out Zatora. It freezes your heart apperently. Makes it stop beating."

"When was Zatora taken out?" D'Artagnan asked.

"I guess right before you got here."

So the cannon we heard wasn't Migquel after all. It was Zatora. Then what happened to Migquel?

"So who's blood are you wearing Carla?" Charlene asked.

"Candice. Looked like she had a few broken bones. Anyways I stabbed her in the chest thirty seven times."

"Carla that kills people!" Charlene scolded sarcastically.

"Really? I did not know that! That explains the cannon!" Carla responded in a matching sarcastic tone.

"You said Zatora's heart froze. How long did it take?" Cedric asked.

"I don't know, ten? Fifteen minutes? anyways I'm just here for more food," Carla said. She walked over to the food craving analyzer and breathed into it. A Danish appeared.

"So that works but the fridge doesn't?" I asked.

"Guess so," Carla bit into her Danish and smiled. My mouth watered, "well this has been fun." Carla walked over to the door.

"Leaving so soon?" Charlene asked. Carla turned to look at us raising her brows.

"Sorry Charlene, you and your little circus aren't worth my time. I'm also not great with small talk. How's the weather? No one cares do they now?" Carla started exiting again. She paused one last time and turned her head towards us, "sorry about your little cunt over there."

Cedric grabbed the chef's knife I had laid on the table prior. He threw it at Carla missing her and ended up lodging it into the wall. Carla looked at it with wide eyes. I thought she might run but instead she took the knife out of the wall and smiled.

Charlene's eyes seemed to burn with fire. That was hers and no one was going to take it. She took out her minute hand and tossed it to D'Artagnan who we knew was much better at throwing pointy objects than any of us. Not missing a single beat D'Artagnan threw it at Carla with great speed.

Then the unexpected happened. Topaz jumped knocking Carla down. The minute hand dug deep into the door where Carla had been standing, "thanks baby," Carla said to Topaz. We all paused trying to register this.

"What the fuck?" Charlene shrieked with disgust. Topaz shared a quick kiss with Carla and I think all of our stomachs did a flip.

"Ok seriously! What the fuck!" Charlene screamed again. Topaz got up with Carla and faced us as some kind of evil villain side kick duo. Topaz grabbed the minute hand out of the door.

"They don't have anything else substantial, they're nothing right now," Topaz said to Carla referring to our weapon supply.

"Excallent!"

Topaz saw all of our faces still stunned and disgusted, "I do girls too."

"Oh my god I slept in the same room as you last night!" Charlene said having a mini panic attack, "I mean blagh!"

"And Cedric?" I asked, "what about him?"

"Oh he's yummy don't get me wrong, it was a pleasure serving with him," Topaz said checking out my brother, "but he's stupid too."

"So this was your plan all along? You and Carla?" D'Artagnan said.

"Yeah, pretty much," Carla said.

I crept back into the forgotten corner Topaz had stood in before. I had to think fast. I trusted the guy's muscle power to a certain extent but I still wasn't going to let the chance of my brother, or any of the others being killed, happen. I was easily forgotten, I wasn't a threat to anyone. I had to do something at this point. A giant blender sat on the counter to my right. It was crazy, it was barbaric, it was an audience pleaser. Carla and Topaz had their backs to me now.

It was too late to reconsider at this point. I grabbed the blender and shoved it onto Topaz's head, pressing the high speed button. The blade was spinning and drilling into her head. Grinding the skull with a horrid crunching noise. Blood sprayed in all directions, little splatters covered me, the others, and the walls. Her head was being mutilated, distorted, a true horror picture. The sounds were somehow soothing though and I found myself drowning in the sensation of killing this girl. It wasn't until I felt myself being pulled away by my brother's arms that I truly understood what I had done.

Topaz disappeared but the blender kept going on the ground. A cannon sounded as I stared at the blender. Charlene crouched down and turned it off. I stared at the inside of the blender seeing all the remains of what I had done. It made me woozy and dizzy. I feel to my knees. My victory felt incredible in the darkest, most overwhelming way.

The faces looking down at me were horrified. I smiled at them and gave a giddy laugh. I fell over. Things were spinning. Carla was gone. I figured she had escaped while all eyes had gone to my very sudden and surprising twist of events. The plans of Topaz seducing my brother only to kill him were abandoned immediately.

"Holy shit," Charlene whispered. And with that, I blacked out.


	17. Chapter 17 The Game Maker's Fun

**Sorry it's been so long! I'm in college now; I only have time to write papers instead of stories! **

Chapter 17

The Game Maker's Fun

I woke up on the same spot of the floor. Blood surrounded me and I felt very unsanitary. Charlene was sitting on the counter, legs crossed, eating a large sandwich. Cedric was still by Lois. Her eyes were closed and her breaths were now uneven wheezy. D'Artagnan leaned against a wall with his arms crossed.

"She's back," D'Artagnan said.

"Get her some water," Cedric said not taking the time to glance in my direction. D'Artagnan helped me sit up. My head hurt.

"How long have I been out?" I asked feeling my head for a bump.

"No long," D'Artagnan said crouching down so his face was level with mine, "five minutes maybe?"

"I've got to hand it to you Bristol," Charlene said, all her attention still on the sandwich, "that was pretty bad ass."

"Thanks. . ." I looked around at the kitchen. What a mess I had made indeed, "it was for my parents."

"Well that's an interesting dedication," Charlene said readjusting herself on the counter. D'Artagnan handed me a glass of water and I sipped it slowly. We were all quiet. The wheezing from Lois was all we heard.

With her final gasp and wheeze you, could tell she was fighting so hard to hold on. The eerie silence that followed is what brought our attention to her once again.

"Lois?" I whispered. I got up, finding it a bit difficult with my head spinning, and walked over to her; over to the girl that was just inches from being just an empty body. Charlene looked up from her sandwich now giving full attention to the situation at hand. D'Artagnan was leaning against a wall with his arms cross and his head down. He raised his eyes up to look in Lois's direction.

Lois's eyes moved to meet mine. They looked so scared and sad. Then they glazed over. Empty. She faded into nothing, giving me the honor of her last interaction. Cedric's hand stayed in the same place it had been while holding her hand. D'Artagnan's eyes were looking down again. Charlene however shocked me the most.

In her eyes tears were fighting to stay put. She swallowed hard and blinked a few times bringing herself back into her cocky poise, taking a bite of her sandwich. Johanna had been right about sometimes forgetting people were human in the arena. I thought she only meant when it came to killing, but in this instance I had forgotten about emotions. It shocked me to realize Charlene had them, especially towards Lois.

"Well, I guess we can go now," Charlene said irritated as if Lois's death had taken too long.

Cedric got up and shoved Charlene off the counter, "God Ced! You made me drop my sandwich!"

"Get another one then!" Cedric growled.

D'Artagnan put his hand on Cedric's shoulder but Cedric shook it off. I frowned with confusion and D'Artagnan responded with a nod. I had no idea what that was supposed to mean.

Charlene grabbed some more food and divided it among us and we each put it in our pockets. We then headed back into the locker room, each of us enjoying our last few moments of fresh air. We only needed a second in the locker room to feel death. I tensed up, I didn't like it. Then again none of us did. The four of us stood like statues waiting for the ghosts of the dead tributes to get us. A dripping sound came from the showers. I had a feeling it wasn't just a leak. Some strange part of me wanted to go there and see what it really was. I decided against it.

"Just keep going," Charlene whispered. She was clearly spooked. We all walked across the nasty tiled floor slowly trying not to make a sound.

Suddenly all of the sinks turned on, then the showers startling us all with the loud hiss. We started running. I grabbed the door knob trying desperately to open it. The realization of the door being locked hit me so hard that I started to get hysterical. The water wasn't draining. It was slowly covering the needed to be cleaned floor.

"Let me out! Let me out! LET ME OUT!" I screamed trying the door knob again.

Blood started dripping from the cracks in the ceiling down the walls. Charlene began banging her fists against the door. D'Artagnan and Cedric were panicking in their own stunned silent way. I looked at the walls wide eyed.

"What the fuck," D'Artagnan whispered horrified. The flood started forming words that continued to drip down.

Charlene

Is this enough to fill

Your blood lust?

Charlene screamed, "Why is it saying that! Why does it know my name?"

The blood began to shift it's form, the water filling up the floor a few inches high now.

D'Artagnan

Enjoying the blood

That stains your thoughts?

And then

Cedric

Still fun enough

To spill your own?

"What's it talking about?" Cedric frowned, "spilling my own?"

Bristol

Out, damn'd spot!

Out, I say!

"Macbeth," I whispered, too paralyzed with fear to do more. Cedric splashed the mid-calf high water on the wall trying to get the words to wash off. My bloody message smeared and seemed to be washing away. Suddenly the blood got thicker and darker making the shapes of three giant letters telling us to. . .

RUN

A door on the far right wall opened up and water began pouring harder, now from the ceiling as well. It was difficult to run through the water all of us splashing, trying to pick our legs up high with each stride. Charlene fell and struggled to get back up, I soon followed her mishap.

We ran passed the showers and in the corner of my eye I saw a person hanging from one of them. I stopped in my tracks. A person?

"Bristol what the hell are you doing!" Cedric yelled angrily.

"It's Migquel!" it was indeed. Migquel had been hung to one of the shower heads. He was obviously still alive but in serious pain. A hook in his shoulder had kept him where he was. He resembled something of a scarecrow. It was then that I realized the dripping I had heard earlier was Migquel's blood.

Cedric splashed over and pushed me aside. I fell back in to the water. D'Artagnan helped me up and then ran to assist Cedric in getting Migquel down. I forced myself to get to the door where Charlene now was. I was now swimming, or what I thought classified as swimming. I wasn't drowning. I had to wonder though, where had all this water come from in such a small amount of time?

It finally came to the point where I had to take a deep breath and dive under. I didn't have fear for the boys; I knew they'd be fine. I swam through the door. I saw jets of more water crashing out of the walls of the next room. As I swam up I found myself treading water in the pool outside. Charlene's head bobbed beside me.

"Huh?" I said looking at her.

"I was thinking the same thing. The door led to the bottom of the pool and the water from the locker room and the jets filled the pool up."

"Well looks like the pool filled up fast!" I treaded water in silence, "Oh my God!"

"What?" Charlene asked.

"The door, down below, is it still open?" If the pool was filled they didn't need the locker room any more. Cedric, D'Artagnan, and Migquel had not popped up yet.

"I, I have no idea, what's your point?"

"The boys!"

Charlene's eyes widened. She took a deep breath and disappeared under the water. I wasn't at all confident in my swimming skills but I wasn't going to just wait. I took a deep breath and followed her. The pool was large but not very deeps, maybe eight feet tops. The door was closing as I had expected. Charlene was at the door, lodging herself into the opening. Cedrics body appeared and joined Charlene. Together they pushed with their bodies to keep the door open. Air bubbles came out of their noses and mouths as the door continued to close. D'Artagnan's body appeared dragging Migquel through the water. I was relieved to see him swim under Charlene and my brother.

Together the five of us popped up. Cedric swam to the edge and got out. D'Artagnan dragged Migquel's unconscious body to the edge and Cedric lifted him out. D'Artagnan got out after. Me and Charlene followed suit. There the five of us lay on the lawn exhausted.

"Thanks Charlene," Cedric panted.

"It was your sister's idea," Charlene panted back. Cedric took my hand and squeezed it in gratitude. While I'm sure this was in some way a touching moment, I was very irritated. Would it have been so hard to just leave Migquel down there? Then again I was the one who mentioned he was there, why did I say anything?

"No one will be able to get into the kitchen now," D'Artagnan said, "That was the only way to get in, through the locker room."

"Don't worry, I've got enough toys to last us," Lois said smiling referring to the knives and whatever else she had grabbed.

"That was the best food source," Cedric said.

"And luckily I got us enough food too."

"It's all wet now," I said.

There was a silence of us all realizing the food we had was now ruined. Where else would we get food besides the small garden? The silence was interrupted by hissing.

"Now what?" Charlene groaned not wanting to get up. The hissing grew louder and I saw something slither passed me. I had friends who had gotten garden snakes in their garden before, but these were nothing like that. These were blue with yellow and white stripes. I leapt to my feet.

"Night Zelffer!" I shrieked. Night Zelffer were snakes that fed on human flesh. Their venom was not poisonous but it paralyzed you, leaving you at their mercy. The other's jumped up as well. The snakes started slithering towards us. If it wasn't one thing, it was another with these game makers!

"To the maze!" My brother called pointing at the giant hedge maze. Surrounding the entrance of the maze were Forrah Ferns. Forrah Ferns are used in a lot of pest control sprays because of its unique smell. It keeps most animals at bay, including Night Zelffer. My fear of this was that I knew the game makers wanted us in the maze at this point. Cedric was smart and probably knew this too, but we didn't have much choice at this point.

The four of us darted for the maze, Migquel's limp body on the back of D'Artagnan.


	18. Chapter 18 Dead Ends

Chapter 18

Dead Ends

The entrance to the maze closed by the growing of branches. We stopped and paused to watch it close, the crackles of the branches made my spine tingle, "I don't suppose you had some hedge clippers in your pocket as well," Cedric said directing his words at Charlene.

"Nope."

"That's what I thought, but I was hoping I would be wrong."

"There's nowhere to go but forward," I said turning from the entrance to the pathway ahead.

"There has to be an exit, there always is in mazes," D'Artagnan stated. This was true. However I had looked out my window and saw the monstrosity of this maze. It was huge! If I couldn't even do mazes in those activity packs we were given to pass the time when we went on vacation, how on earth was I supposed to navigate a giant hedge maze. Come to think of it Cedric hadn't even been that good with the mazes; he was all about the word searches. We were doomed.

"Eeny meeny miney mo," Charlene said looking hopelessly at the two paths we could choose from.

"Well it's 50/50," D'Artagnan said.

"If we don't decide I have a feeling the Game Makers will have no trouble making the decision for us," I pointed out.

"Bristol is right," Cedric said, "I say we go to the right."

"You sure?" D'Artagnan said looking clueless at the two paths.

"Do you have any reason to go left?" Cedric asked.

"Nope."

"Then we'll go right," we followed my brothers lead down the right path. We walked in silence for a while. The sound of our squishing feet in our wet shoes was all that could be heard.

"What time do you suppose it is?" I asked looking up at the sky. It already looked like it was getting dark, "it can't really be that late."

"It's just getting cloudy," D'Artagnan said looking up at the sky, "the sun is covered."

"Boy what I wouldn't give for a nice hot shower and some clean comfy clothes," Charlene complained. I couldn't have agreed with her more. Some nice hot chocolate, with marshmallows and whipped cream. Mmm. I shouldn't have been thinking about it.

"Ok who wants to choose where we go this time?" D'Artagnan asked looking at the now three paths.

"The middle one," Charlene said.

"You sure?" Cedric asked.

"Do you have any reason to take either of the other paths?" Charlene asked. Their conversation almost mimicked the debate on where to go prior.

"Nope."

We continued our journey forward. I looked up at the sky, the clouds were turning grey. I sensed rain in our near future. I wasn't sure how I felt about it. We were wet enough already. I just wanted to crawl in to a bed a lie there for hours, forever would be nice.

"Bristol you want to choose the next path?" Cedric asked? I looked at our two choices.

"We went right last time, let's go left this time. And yes, I'm sure."

We followed my suggestion and went left. This was never going to end, I knew it. We'd die in this maze. There probably was no way out. The Game Makers probably closed that up too. They were on a roll with us, why stop now? I felt like Algernon. Great I just compared myself to a rat. A rat searching for cheese. Oh cheese fondue! Don't think about it Bristol, don't think about it!

"How long have we been in this maze?" Charlene groaned, "oh god I sound like Lois." Charlene suddenly went stiff. Too soon. I looked at Cedric, he look hurt. What went on between him and Lois? Last time I checked he hated her. I wondered if Johanna was watching and missing Lois too. I wondered if she had felt any remorse. She certainly wasn't Lois's number one fan. D'Artagnan gave me another reassuring look. What did he know? Part of me wanted to talk to him so badly but I just couldn't. Things were weird between us and I wasn't sure how to change the situation. Part of me wanted too, but I was sure I would regret it if I did.

"We haven't been in it that long," I said trying to ignore the fact that Charlene had brought up a rather sore subject, "It just seems like it's been a while."

"Ok D'Artagnan you're turn to pick a path," Cedric said.

"I don't care, left, let's go left again." We followed D'Artagnan. Migquel was still unconscious on his back. I wondered if it was tiring for him. I suddenly felt a drop on my forehead.

"Shit," I cussed.

"What's wrong?" Cedric asked, for the first time in a long time actually sounding like he was concerned.

"I felt a rain drop."

"I just felt one too," Charlene said looking up at the sky, "it certainly is looking stormy."

"Just our luck," I said frowning.

"I only like rain when I'm in bed and just about to fall asleep," Cedric said.

"Me too," I replied.

"It's getting chilly too," Charlene commented, "god I hate weather."

"Right or left?" D'Artagnan asked.

"Ugh I don't even care anymore! Is anyone else going crazy?" Charlene yelled.

"I think I went crazy a long time ago," I said.

"This whole thing is crazy," D'Artagnan murmured, "this whole thing is sick and twisted in every way."

"It's a whole lot more exhilarating when you watch it on TV," Cedric confessed. I looked at him; I tried to give him a reassuring smile.

"You want to know what the worst part is," D'Artagnan said softly, "I'm so scared I'm becoming one of them. Just like Johanna said I would."

"I really don't want to talk about this right now," Charlene said. We all agreed. More rain began to fall, "right, let's go right."

We heard a slight roll of thunder. I was worried about lightning. There was no telling what game makers would do with that lightning. My mouth was dry so I stuck my tongue out to get a few drips from the sky.

Right. Left. Left. Left. Right. Forward. Right. Forward. Right. Left. The rain stayed at a steady down pour.

"I think we've been here before!" Charlene said looking around anxiously.

"Like there is any way of knowing that! It all looks the same! All of it!" I said.

"No I think we've been here before! We aren't getting anywhere! We're going in circles! We're never getting out of here! Never!"

"Charlene calm down," D'Artagnan said in a tone more harsh than he probably meant it to be.

"You don't feel like the walls are caving in!" Charlene's yellow pigtails stuck to her neck from the rain, "someone tell me they're feeling the same way!"

"Take some deep breaths," Cedric said.

"_You_ take some deep breaths!" Charlene growled. I started to feel what Charlene felt. The path _was_ getting smaller, wasn't it?

"We can't be going in circles Charlene," D'Artgnan said, "see we've been walking forward for a very long time, we haven't walked this straight for a long time."

Lighting struck.

"Not now!" Charlene cried, "Please not right now!"

"There isn't any metal anywhere," D'Artgnan stated, "we'll be ok."

"What's that up ahead?" I asked. This was a stupid question. I knew what was up ahead. It was a dead end.

"no, no, no, no, no," Charlene began running, "no, it's not, it isn't!" Charlene hit the end of it, "No we're not trapped, no it's an illusion right?" We all stood there at the dead end completely soaked. Charlene was on the verge of cracking and I knew I was on my way to joining her.

I rested my head on Cedric's shoulder and he wrapped his arm around me. I looked up at him, pleading with my eyes, asking him for help. I didn't know what to do. Somehow I knew he didn't either. For the first time things felt hopeless.


	19. Chapter 19 Second Star to the Right

So. . .it's been like 10 months since I've updated? Basically life got really busy. I went to college, I got involved with three plays, I got a job, a lot of drama happened. . .life got busy! And honestly this story wasn't a top priority. But I did think it deserved to be finished, so I'm picking it up again. I don't know if any of my followers are still out there, but if not hopefully there will be some new followers! Ok so here is the next chapter in the story!

Chapter 18

Second Star to the Right and Journey straight on 'til Morning

That night was weird. It was like we had all broken down. The games weren't going to be the same at this point. No one wanted to sleep. Maybe no one could sleep. We sat in a circle all in different positions that we found most comfortable. We all stared into nothing, sheltered in a dead end of the maze. I remembered the story of Peter Pan at this moment. The boy who ran away to Neverland so he didn't have to grow up. I wished I could go there now. To a place where I could stay a young child with not a care in the world. All I needed was a bit of pixie dust and the most lovely of thoughts and I'd be there.

Lovely thoughts. Did I have any anymore? I looked around the circle and wondered if any of them did. It then occurred to me that I didn't know any of them. I didn't know what they were like before this. I didn't know their lives or their families. They all surely did have lovely thoughts at one point but I certainly would never be able to guess what they were. And I knew I never would find out.

Charlene was now in the fetal position in the corner of the dead end. I sucked on my lips, something I used to do when I was trying to concentrate. I didn't have much to concentrate on now. Cedric was resting his head in his hand; he began shivering from the cold rain. The sky was crying, and I might have been too. It was hard to tell with the rain going down my face.

"Sometimes I just want to kill myself. Get it over with," D'Artgnan said breaking our silence.

"Don't say that," I said.

"You can't tell me Bristol," he said moving his head to look at me, "that you don't feel the same." He held my gaze. We stayed that way for a while. Looking in to each other's eyes. I was now certain that I was crying.

"Rain drops on roses and whiskers on kittens," Charlene started singing in a small little voice. We all looked at her with our eyes. She was slowly losing it more and more, "bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens. . ."

"What the hell is she singing?" Cedric whispered.

"These are a few of my favorite things. . ."

I didn't know what she was singing, I didn't like it though. I hated it. I wanted it to end. Now!

"When the dog bites, when the bees sting, when I'm feeling sad, I simply remember my favorite things and then I don't feel so bad."

"SHUT UP WHY DON'T YOU! SHUT UP!" I tried to get up but I stumbled and landed back on my butt.

"Bristol, shhhh, Bristol settle down," Cedric's calm words meant nothing to me.

"SHUT UP! PLEASE JUST SHUT UP!" I started crying harder. Uncontrollably. Hysterically. Crying.

Migquel's lifeless body moved. Nothing. Than again. We all turned to watch him. All except for Charlene who continued singing her twisted song in her creepy little voice. Blocking it out was impossible, but at least my attention was not completely on it.

"He's going to be ok!" Cedric said weakly, but with relief. I looked at him. What? There were so many things I didn't understand. There were secrets Cedric had that he was keeping from me. His game was changing. His game was changing and he wasn't interested in telling me anything about it.

But that's ok. Mine was changing too.

"Kill him," I said darkly.

"What?" D'Artgnan looked at me in shock.

"Kill him," I repeated.

"Girls in white dresses and blue satin sashes."

"Bristol, you need to calm down," Cedric said to me in the same dark tone I had.

"Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes."

"I said," deep breath, "kill HIM!" I tried to get up once again, and this time I succeeded. When I got to my feet I slowly moved towards the occasionally active body of Migquel. I stood above him looking at him.

"Bristol," D'Artgnan's voice sounded slightly frightened and concerned, "Bristol are you ok?"

I'm not entirely sure what I was going to do next. I don't even know what I started to do, but whatever it was, Cedric did not agreed. Suddenly Cedric's hands were grabbing me. I turned to look at him. Then he did something I never expected. He slapped me. He slapped me across the face. It was not a slap to get me to 'snap out of it' it was a slap of anger. I put my hand to my face. It stung. I looked up in to my brother's eyes. There was no sense of regret in his eyes. His game had changed, he didn't tell me, and I wasn't sure I wanted to know what his game now was.

D'Artgnan made the next move by knocking my brother to the ground. He pinned my brother down. He looked simply barbaric, and my brother looked positively frightened. D'Artgnan looked like he could kill my brother in an instant if he really wanted to.

"Do not touch her. Ever again," D'Artgnan said. His voice was calm but more threatening than I had ever heard before. He let my brother go. D'Artgnan got off of my brother and got up. He took me in his arms. I let my face burry itself in his chest. I wailed. We hadn't been in this game for even forty-eight hours and everything had changed.

It was then that the voices began. The voices that whispered, and laughed. I felt empty. I felt this sudden darkness that fell heavy inside of me, I was trapped. 'Your brother doesn't love you' it laughed. 'The one person who you trusted above all else is going to kill you. You deserve to die.'

"Make it stop," I whispered, "please make it stop."

'No one wants you here Bristol. No one wants you breathing. So why are you still?'

"Please stop."

The voice laughed. I had never felt more alone or more scared.

"PLEASE FOR GOD SAKE STOP TALKING TO ME!" I screamed in to D'Artgnan's chest. If only I had known this was only beginning.

What were my happy thoughts now? Where was my pixie dust?

"I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don't feel so bad!"

And there was silence.


End file.
